We TV journalists have covered this topic many times. In the societal boom around plastic surgery and what we might call the “beauty business,” caution is essential. Even to alter a small part of the body, anesthesia is often required—and frequently general anesthesia at that. To perform these procedures safely, two things are needed: qualified professionals and proper facilities.
Anesthesia should only be administered in a hospital setting, where the necessary equipment is available if complications arise. Yet many people turn to the wild west of the internet, opting for procedures in makeshift clinics. I’ve made this straightforward point because, unfortunately, people never seem to learn from the news. And now here we are again, discussing a beautiful 22-year-old girl who lost her life to a botched rhinoplasty.
She found the doctor on TikTok. The details are horrific: the young woman felt unwell immediately after the injection—a tragic, preventable death that no one prevented, even as her boyfriend recorded her final moments on video. An investigation is now underway to clarify what happened, and we must wait for the facts before making sweeping accusations. But the tragedy is undeniable.
Our era, the age of the internet, quickly forgets everything. Information has become obsolete in the endless stream of communication. And as the renowned philosopher Luciano Floridi points out, the overwhelming flood of information in which we live paradoxically prevents us from forming the meaningful, personal experiences of the past.
I don’t know who will read these words or if the reader is considering a cosmetic transformation. Sometimes, it’s not necessary. But if you do decide to go through with it, choose wisely and learn from others’ misfortunes. Beauty never comes cheap…
