Woman awarded £85,000 after almost losing her lip in lip filler treatment 

Woman getting lip filler procedure

WARNING! Please note that this case study contains graphic images of our client’s injuries which she has agreed to share with others to highlight the dangers.

A 37-year-old woman warns anyone considering getting lip fillers to do their research and read the small print after she visited a local salon and almost lost her lip.

She suffered a vascular occlusion, a rare side effect from lip filler treatments, after the beautician injected the lip filler directly into a blood vessel in her top lip.

This is a known risk with lip fillers and needs emergency medical assistance, otherwise it can result in death of the tissue and you could lose part of your lip.

“I was already anxious about getting lip fillers and when I saw the panic in everyone’s eyes, I burst into tears.

“My lips had turned white. Over that weekend, the inside of my mouth turned black and it was spreading up my face. The pain was unbelievable - I had to eat and drink through a straw.”

This horrifying ordeal left our client with a major depressive disorder and she ultimately lost her job because of all the time off she needed following the treatment. 

The salon denied any wrongdoing, but legal action with Digby Brown proved they failed to properly advise our clients of the risks involved with the treatment and the beautician was not properly trained to deal with complications, particularly a vascular occlusion which requires emergency intervention.

They initially put a cold pack on the lip which was the wrong thing to do. This should have been a heat pack, massaged into the area.

The salon’s owner then stepped in and tried to diffuse the situation by administering 30-40 injections of Hyalase to dissolve the filler. 

But this did not work. 

The salon sent her home, saying it would resolve itself, it was just bruising. But when she later visited Accident and Emergency, she was told there was a risk she would lose her lip and may need surgery.

Only with the help of a private aesthetic doctor who carried out even more injections of Hyalase and oxygen therapy did she manage to save her lip.

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Lip filler injury showing result of vascular occlusion

“It was such a terrifying time. When I got more hyalase injections, the pain was excruciating, my husband had to hold me down. 

“It pushed me over the edge. I was always in tears and very depressed. I felt embarrassed to go out and would avoid leaving the house. People asked me if I had been in a car accident, as my whole face looked that bad. 

“It took me over a year to get my life back. It impacted on my marriage. My daughter was only 5 years old at that time and she was terrified to come near me.

“If I had known what the risks and complications were, there was no way I would have had it done.”  

Jennifer Watson, specialist in beauty treatment claims, led the claim for compensation against the salon and investigated the case.

The salon tried to dismiss the case with a low offer of £5,000 but with our expert help, our client was awarded 17 times this amount at £85,000.

“Jennifer Watson worked tirelessly to get me the settlement she did, and I felt lucky to have her on my side. 

“I never felt like just 'another client’, she genuinely helped and supported me through it all and allied any worries I had, she made the whole experience so much easier to deal with. 

“I’m glad it’s all over now. I would advise anyone to research thoroughly, check reviews and make sure they are fully qualified. Don’t make my mistake.”

Jennifer Watson, Associate in our Dundee office, stated: 

“There was a catalogue of negligence in this case. 

“She wasn’t even informed of the risks and complications associated with filler treatments and had a traumatic experience as a result. 

“Hopefully this legal action will highlight the dangers of these types of treatments if not carried out by experienced practitioners – and prevent this from happening to anyone else.”

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