Following the deaths of Lynne Savage and Hayley Dowell, the Mirror takes a look at the harrowing tales of victims of botched surgery in Turkey, including others who tragically died and those left permanently scarred
Thousand of desperate Brits have been flying overseas for cosmetic surgery at a fraction of the price, but several procedures have gone horrifically wrong.
The lucky ones return home with new teeth, hair, and figures, but some tragically don’t return to their loved ones at all. Some women, largely mothers, have lost their lives in the pursuit of perfection, others have been left with infected wounds and life-changing disfigurements, as well as being mentally scarred.
Some have told of how they were put under the knife for invasive procedures they never consented to, while others have harrowingly woken up mid-surgery to a bloody mess. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimated that the number of people travelling abroad for surgery almost doubled over four years, with 248,000 UK residents choosing the option in 2019 compared to 120,000 in 2015.
Horrifying reality of Turkey surgery – rotting breasts, stump teeth and 25 dead
Despite the serious nature of the procedures, appointments abroad can be secured almost instantaneously, with patients choosing to skip lengthy NHS waiting lists to pick from the plethora of clinics overseas, which promise the same results as well as a simultaneous holiday in the sun. The Foreign Office says 28 Brits have died after having cosmetic surgery in Turkey since 2019, with the latest victims today named as Lynne Savage and Hayley Dowell.
Mum-of-two Lynne died after bleeding to death when her gastric sleeve procedure went wrong, an inquest has heard. Meanwhile Hayley died having a Brazilian butt lift, where the surgeon walked out halfway through, according to an inquest.
A Government spokesperson said: “The UK government has been actively engaging with the Turkish government on how to support the safety of patients who… travel to Turkey for medical treatment. We urge anyone considering a cosmetic procedure abroad to research the treatment, the qualifications of their clinician and the regulations in the country they are travelling to.”
Here, the Mirror takes a look at those who died after botched surgery and others who have shared their harrowing ordeals from the operating table…
