Spurred on by studies that show younger candidates are more apt to get better job offers, bigger promotions, more attractive dates and even more favorable loan terms, Americans are seeing cosmetic procedures such as facelifts and Botox injections as investments in their financial and romantic futures. Because finances are tight, many are turning to so-called "pumping parties" in an attempt to improve their looks at bargain basement prices.
Pumping parties are informal get-togethers that typically take place in a person's home or hotel room and involve illegal injections of fake or black market Botox or silicone. Often, participants assume that the person administering the injections is a licensed physician or other aesthetic professional with adequate training. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case. And for a growing number of Americans desperate to look younger for cheaper, it just doesn't matter - at least not at first.
The consequences from getting a dangerous, illegal substance injected into your skin can range from severe skin reactions to violent illness to death. One infamous pumping party incident involved actress Pricilla Presley being injected with a low-grade silicone similar to an auto parts lubricant. In another high-profile case, a 23-year-old South Korean woman, Hang Mioku, injected her own face with cooking oil, which lead to a grotesque disfiguration that never healed.
"The fillers used in these pumping parties often are intended for hardware use, not any type of medical use," says Jacksonville plastic surgeon Dr. Phillip Garcia, founder of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery. "The worst of them can cause heart failure, lung problems and problems with the brain."
One severe reaction that damages the lungs is silicone embolism syndrome. If caught immediately, it can be treated with steroid treatment. But problems affecting the brain are almost always fatal.
If you're looking to rejuvenate your look, don't make a mistake that could cost you your life. Contact a board-certified plastic surgeon like Jacksonville's Dr. Garcia for a consultation. It may cost you a few dollars more that that pumping party, but it could save thousands more dollars or even your life ultimately.
As double Board Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Dr. Phillip and Roberto Garcia of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery are specialists in plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgery for aging face procedures, rhinoplasty (nasal surgery), and eyelid plastic surgery.