Cosmetic tourism warning after woman's death
Mother-of-three Hayley Dowell died after cosmetic surgery in Turkey, an inquest hears.
A coroner has issued a warning about cosmetic tourism after a woman died following surgery at BHT Clinic Istanbul Tema Hospital.
According to the coroner, Nicholas Walker, individuals traveling overseas for inexpensive cosmetic procedures are being coerced into purchasing additional "risky" operations at the last minute. Walker made these remarks during the inquest into the death of Hayley Dowell, a 38-year-old mother of three from Eastleigh, Hampshire, who passed away in October 2023 after undergoing fat removal surgery in Turkey.
The inquest revealed that Dowell was offered a discounted Brazilian butt-lift (BBL) as an "afterthought" just minutes before her scheduled operations. While the coroner stated that the BBL surgery did not cause her death, he expressed concern that the practice of upselling could endanger others and indicated he would write to the government.
Dowell died on October 3 from complications related to liposuction at BHT Clinic Istanbul Tema Hospital, as heard at the inquest. Her husband, Neil Dowell, testified that they had paid 7,000 euros for liposuction, a tummy tuck, and a hotel stay. He recounted that the surgeon suggested placing the removed fat into his wife's bottom, as it had been "a little flat."
"As soon as he left the room, a young lady came in with a card machine," Dowell stated. "We had a five-minute window to decide to have the procedure or pay for it or not. We had to make a quick decision. It was a mad rush."
Initially, after four hours of surgery, Neil Dowell was informed that everything was fine. However, closer to midnight, the surgeon told him that his wife had suffered two cardiac arrests and that he "should say your goodbyes."
Consultant plastic surgeon Elaine Sassoon, an expert witness, noted that cosmetic tourism contributes "billions" to the Turkish economy. She commented, "We can't stop it but what we need to do is set baseline things that will make it safer."
The coroner concluded, "I'm satisfied upselling in such circumstances and lack of time to reflect on consequences will create a risk of future deaths." He announced his intention to write to the health secretary and the General Medical Council to voice concerns about the absence of a database to quantify the extent of this issue. He made no findings regarding the surgeon or the operation itself.
The Dowell family, who are pursuing litigation in Turkey, paid tribute to Hayley, describing her as a "fun-loving" mother who adored her children and was training to be a dental nurse.