A teenage girl transformed into a "pufferfish" after having lip fillers left her with "wonky" lips.
Evie-Grace Keeler, 17, had injections when she was underage after finding a beautician to do it on Facebook. But – when she had the injections – she burst a blood vessel in her lips, and it caused them to swell and turn purple for a fortnight
The teenager, from near Middlesbrough, confessed the beautician had "lots of bad reviews" on the platform. But she still decided to have the £65 procedure as nobody else would do it due to her age.
READ MORE:Curvy model flashes cellulite in slinky bikini and fans beg her to join saucy platform
Read all the latest lifestyle news by the team at Daily Star
Evie-Grace said her lips became swollen quite quickly, and they kept growing in size for another two days. She was then "embarrassed" to leave the house as she couldn't close her mouth properly.
She was 17 at the time she had the injections, but the teen will turn 18 in February. Prior to the procedure she had visited the beautician before, but she said this time she was left looking like she'd "been punched in a fight".
It took around two weeks for the bruising to go down and, six months later, her lips remain uneven. Now she has to use lipstick to try and cover up the botched job.
Evie-Grace said: "[When I first saw them] they were just massive and swollen. They bruised instantly and were quite painful. I was really scared.
"I thought I was going to have to go to A&E. She told me she had burst a blood vessel in my lips. When I got home, I looked at my lips and they were bright purple. They just kept growing for about two days and then stayed this size for two weeks before they eventually began to go down.
"I couldn't close my mouth properly and I had to drink through a straw at the side of my mouth. I avoided going out as much as possible as I was quite embarrassed. I did worry I may be stuck with these for life.
"My lips looked like I had just had a fight and I had been punched in the mouth. They were so bruised and purple. My friends couldn’t believe how big they were. They said I looked like a pufferfish. I couldn’t close my mouth properly and I had to drink through a straw at the side of my mouth."
The teen alleged the beautician knew she was underage, and paid the "offer price" of £65 for the treatment in May this year, which is nearly a quarter of the usual price. When people have face and fillers, or dermal fillers, collagen or hyaluronic acid is injected to areas such as the lips and cheeks to add volume or reduce wrinkles. The effects of the procedure should last for up to 18 months.
Under the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021, it's illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to be injected with fillers for cosmetic purposes, or for someone to make plans or book an appointment to do so, even if they have parental permission. Anyone caught breaking the law can be handed an unlimited fine.
Though rare, it's possible that dermal filler can enter blood vessels in the face which connect to the retinal artery. This works to supply blood to the retina at the back of the eye, and can lead to permanent blindness.
Tissue death is also possible if filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel. This can hinder blood supply and causes the tissue to die and eventually fall away.
Evie-Grace added: "The first time I had them done, I had 1.1ml and then the second time it was the same. The first time I had no bruising or anything like this.
"I had read lots of bad reviews about her online but because I was underaged, she was the only person I could find to do my lips for me, so I just went back again. The appointment was just at her house and she was aware she was doing underaged practises. She knew I was 17."
She claimed the woman who injected her lips told her she was fully qualified after completing a one-day course. It was also noted the beautician had facetimed her when she got home from the appointment, and advised her to take antihistamines to reduce the swelling.
Sadly, this didn't help, and the teen was left suffering. She hasn't made a formal complaint to the woman or the police, but the ordeal has led her to never want fillers again.
She continued: "I am not going to get them done again after this. This has scared me. I would tell people to wait until they are 18 to get their lips done and look into who they are getting their lips done by and their qualifications."
Miss Keeler's mother, Lisa, said she didn't want her to have the treatment in the first place, adding: "She still has a bump on her bottom lip from where they were done even though they have dissolved a lot since then. I would say to parents to not let their children get this done as it could affect them for the rest of their life."
To avoid getting fillers by someone who is unqualified, the NHS advises people to check the person doing the dermal fillers in on a register to show they meet a standard of training, skill and insurance. It also advises people to book a consultation before getting the fillers.
Want all the biggest Lifestyle news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Hot Topics newsletter