KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 19, 2009): A woman who went for breast reduction surgery conducted by a cosmetic surgeon in Johor, ended up with nerve damage and her nipples removed.

"I only wanted smaller breasts, not to have my nipples removed," the woman who identified herself as Miss Yew, told a press conference yesterday, six months after her misadventure with the cosmetic surgeon.

"To make matters worse I am still in pain and have been unable to even lift my arms, as my wounds are still painfully infected with pus," Yew, 37, said at the office of MCA Public Service and Complaints Department chief Datuk Michael Chong.

Relating how her nightmare had begun, Yew said she had initially gone to a beauty shop in Subang Jaya to seek advice on how she could reduce her big breasts.

The beautician told Yew she could arrange for her problem to be solved by a cosmetic surgeon from Beijing, at a cost of RM19,000.

Yew said a day after she paid RM12,000 downpayment, she was taken to a shoplot in Johor Baru where she underwent a three-hour laser treatment operation conducted by a local gynaecologist on May 12.

"After the operation, I was sent her back to Kuala Lumpur without any painkillers or antibiotics and my chest turned gangrenous," she said, adding that when she complained of her condition, she was told to go back to the same doctor, but she did not as she had lost confidence in him. Instead, she sought treatment in Singapore where doctors told her she was lucky to be alive. Yew then filed a claim against the cosmetic surgeon for what she had paid as well as her expenses to consult specialists and treat the infection in Singapore.

As the surgeon had yet to refund her the money despite her lodging a police report on Aug 13, Yew has sought Chong’s help to recover her expenses.

Chong advised those seeking cosmetic surgery to only use reputable plastic surgeons or risk severe personal suffering and injury.

"We have received many cases of people who have gone for cosmetic surgery – some for liposuction and others, breast enlargement – which went wrong," he said.

"Since 2007, I have received a total of nine cases of botched cosmetic surgeries, mainly because the patient didn’t go through qualified cosmetic surgeons. They went through beauticians and suffered as a result, as often the equipment and room were not even sterilised," said Chong, adding that in one case, the patient reported the surgery was done on a bloodstained bed.

"All the cases have resulted in swelling or pus. If the procedures were done in a proper operating theatre, these incidents wouldn’t have occurred.

"You must also think of your own life besides your beauty," he added.

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