Death in the land of cosmetic surgery

The 24-year-old Yu Ji-min (not actual name) does not liken to soup when she is having her meal, mostly because it drips out of the side of her mouth. Unless she make an extra effort, the right side of her lips open up.

This is the result of an imbalance in her face resulting from the difference in the gap between the left and right portions of her teeth. One would suggest that she undergoes surgery to correct the imbalance but the imbalance itself is the side effect of faulty cosmetic surgery.

The painful experience began with a face-line surgery at the suggestion of a doctor who said there is a severe imbalance in Yu’s face. She complained about the side effects following the procedure but the hospital denied responsibility insisted that it will improve with time.

Plastic surgeons say they can fix anything from head to toe. But the reality is that there is an increasing number of surgeries gone wrong.

Portal sites like Naver and Daum are filled with blogs detailing side effects of cosmetic surgery. In fact, there are some café sites run by people who are against plastic surgery. There is one website which boasts a membership of 12,000.

The state-funded Korea Consumer Agency has also been receiving an increasing number of complaints related to side effects from plastic surgery. The number has risen from 2,011 in 2009 and 2,949 in 2010 to 4,043 last year.