A tragic incident that emphasizes the rising safety concerns of cosmetic surgery is that of Liu, a woman from a rural area in Guigang City, Guangxi province, China, who died just a day after going through six different cosmetic treatments. Her death has swung popular opinion to reflect on the dangers of intensified cosmetic enhancements and stricter safety measures in China’s booming cosmetic surgery industry.
Quest for Transformation Ends in Devastating Loss
Motivated by a desire for a dramatic change, Liu borrowed 40,000 yuan (USD 5,600) to finance her procedures which she traveled to Nanning. On December 9, 2020, Liu began the five-hour operation with double eyelid surgery and rhinoplasty which she says transformed her nose. The very next morning, other procedures were conducted where fat was withdrawn from her thighs which was injected into her face and breasts.
However, just hours after Liu’s discharge from the clinic, she fainted in the elevator. Stabilizing emergency care at the clinic deteriorated into an escalating downward spiral, and she was rushed to The Second Nanning People’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead that afternoon. A post-mortem examination later revealed that she had died from acute respiratory failure caused by pulmonary embolism — a life-threatening condition linked to liposuction.
The battle of the family for accountability and justice
Immediately after the death, the family took the clinic to court, charging the place with negligence and improper care. The family appealed for 1.18 million yuan, or $168,000, stating that the clinic had total liability. “The clinic offered me 200,000 yuan as compensation,” said Liu’s husband while highlighting the depth of loss. I said at least one million should be paid for one person’s death. If we split the responsibility, it should still be at least 500,000 yuan.
The Jiangnan District People’s Court in Nanning City previously ruled in favor of the family, holding the clinic liable and ordering compensation over one million yuan. The clinic appealed, arguing that Liu should have known the risks of undergoing such highly invasive cosmetic procedures. The court settled for only a reduced settlement of 590,000 yuan, reasoning that shared fault was applicable as Liu had preexisting medical conditions and full documentation on the clinic’s treatments was lacking.
Issues in Cosmetic Surgery in China on the Rise
The death has sparked a nationwide discussion about the rising popularity of cosmetic surgery in China and the need for stricter regulatory oversight to safeguard patients. In China, cosmetic surgery has grown in popularity as younger generations seek to change their faces to fit certain beauty standards, but the risks of multiple procedures within a very short time frame, as in Liu’s case, remain underreported.
Much stronger regulations on safety are being called for by health experts and advocates following Liu’s case. Indeed, many advocates say that clinics must explicitly outline all the risks involved and implement recovery procedures that would have averted this incident in the first place. In connection with this event, people have been raising questions as to whether China’s cosmetic industry is giving in to the urge for aesthetic transformation at the expense of patient well-being. Thus, reforms that give prominence to safety and awareness for the patients appear warranted.
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