Mum who had lip fillers warned women to consider what can go wrong with cosmetic surgery

A MUM who had injections which left her with massively swollen lips and unable to eat or work has urged women to pay attention to the risks of simple procedures.

Kristine McCarthy was left with huge swelling and bruising to her lips after she had lip fillers. Picture: Julian Andrews

A MUM who had lip injections which left her bruised and unable to eat has urged women to pay attention to the risks.

Shop worker Kristine McCarthy, 43, had lip fillers injected last week.

But the nurse nicked an artery — leaving her with a huge bruise and massively swollen lips.

And while experts say it’s just one of the risks of the procedure and the nurse did nothing wrong, Mrs McCarthy said she never considered it could happen to her.

“I was naive,” she said.

Ms McCarthy when the bruising was at its worst.

And before the procedure.

Mum of three, Mrs McCarthy, from North Narrabeen, said she went to a qualified nurse at a northern beaches clinic for the lip fillers, which cost just under $400. She didn’t want to name the clinic.

Nurses are allowed to administer such treatments, and while Mrs McCarthy was shown pictures of things which can go wrong, she said she assumed she’d be fine.

But hitting the vein caused a huge bruise and even more swelling than usual.

“She knew what she’d done, she grabbed my lips and just held it there, it’s like an internal bleed,” she said.

“My heart started racing, she said ‘it’s okay you’re just going to really badly bruise’.

She said she didn't realise the true risks.

“I thought ‘that’s annoying,’ and then I went home it just got bigger and bigger and it was just huge.

“It looked like it was going to burst.

“On the first day or two I couldn’t even eat. I drank protein shakes through a straw.

“My little one who’s only six was crying, my husband was distressed as well.

“It’s certainly scared me and made me really think you need to do your research and know that things can go wrong — it doesn’t always go how you want it to,” she said

Mrs McCarthy returned to the clinic, who reassured her it would heal, and the swelling has now subsided.

Expertly qualified Sharon Griffiths- who didn’t treat Mrs McCarthy, at her surgery in Wheeler Heights offered her advice.

Mrs McCarthy, who posted shocking pictures of her lips on Facebook to warn other women, had to take time off work at a shop at Warriewood Square.

Experts say what happened to Mrs McCarthy is one of the risks of lip fillers.

Sharon Griffiths from Finesse Cosmetic Clinics, is the only Cosmetic Nurse Practitioner in NSW, making her highly qualified.

Ms McCarthy still has a bruise. Picture: Julian Andrews

Mrs Griffiths, who has a clinic at Wheeler Heights but who didn’t treat Mrs McCarthy, urged women to do their research to lessen the chances of anything going wrong and to ensure they’re in the right hands if they do..

“All medical procedures carry an element of risk,” she said.

“A bruise is not an adverse outcome — it’s a common side effect of having cosmetic injections.

“Questions to ask are what risks are associated with the procedure, look at medical qualifications, ask how many times they’ve done it,”

Earlier this month two women were charged with manslaughter over the death of a woman at a city cosmetic surgery clinic.

Jean Huang, 35, died in hospital after she was allegedly administered a local anaesthetic and breast fillers at the Medi Beauty Laser and Contour Clinic in Chippendale.