Surgeons get behind ban on the Kim Kardashian lift

Plastic surgeons consider a ban on the ‘Kim Kardashian’ procedure for women who want a larger rear.

Kim Kardashian at the The 2019 Met Gala. Picture: Getty

British plastic surgeons are considering a ban on the procedure known as a “Kim Kardashian”, which appeals to women who want a larger backside.

The move comes amid mounting concern about the “Brazilian butt lift”, which has the highest death rate of all cosmetic surgery.

It involves fat being taken from another part of the body and injected into the buttocks.

Plastic surgeons in Britain have been advised not to perform the procedure, which has been made popular by celebrities.

On Friday, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, which represents the majority of National Health Service-trained consultant plastic surgeons in private practice, will vote for the first time on whether it should now ban its members from performing the operation.

The poll will take place at the association’s annual conference at London Olympia, according to a briefing note.

“The topic of BBLs remains controversial, with an excess of complications and even death when not performed safely,” the note says. “This has led to the BAAPS advising against its members undertaking this form of surgery until more is known.

“We have invited some of the world’s leading BBL experts … to take part in a series of lectures and debates on the topic.

“We then plan to hold a round of indicative voting after the ­debates to understand the right ­direction for the BAAPS and its members to take.”

Experts agree there is a risk that fat injected into large veins can travel to the heart or brain, leading to severe illness or death. BBLs have the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, at an estimated one in 3000 operations.

Leah Cambridge, 29, a mother of three from Leeds, died in Aug­ust last year after undergoing the procedure in Turkey.

The beautician died from a fat clot caused by the operation in Izmir. She had been paranoid about excess stomach weight after having three children, Wakefield coroner’s court heard.

The number of procedures carried out in Britain is not known, but it is believed to be in the hundreds. Injecting fat into the bottom to create a lifted effect is intended to emulate the silhouettes of Kardashian and singers Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce.

None has admitted having undergone the operation.

Last year, outgoing BAAPS president Simon Withey admitted that the issue posed a dilemma for surgeons because any clampdown in the UK could result in more patients heading abroad. “While the rest of the world is carrying on accepting that this procedure takes place, it’s quite difficult to take a stand against it,” he said.

“You are potentially driving people to less safe environments.”

The procedure, carried out under general anaesthetic, takes about two hours. Complications arising from the surgery can include severe bacterial infections, scarring, dead tissue, wound ruptures and abscesses. BAAPS estimates those who travel abroad for surgery and return to the UK with complications are costing the NHS thousands of pounds.

In Australia, the fillers cost about $2500 each — at least four injections are required — while the fat transfer can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000, and buttock implants cost about $15,000

The Sunday Times