While it’s become common knowledge that black market and cheap cosmetic procedures have left many disfigured or worse, dead — thanks to shows like “Botched,” it seems like every few months another young woman makes headlines after losing her life to a black market procedure like butt injections. With cosmetic procedures being performed on primetime television shows and even on popular Snapchat accounts, the trend to Brazilian lift, booty plump or “nip and tuck” is becoming more normalized and growing, particularly among African Americans.
According to the latest Plastic Surgery Statistics Report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, African Americans accounted for 1.3 million cosmetic procedures in 2014, up 8% over 2013. From 2005 to 2013 cosmetic surgeries done on African American’s increased by 56%. Many turn to underground procedures and medical tourism out the country to get the look they want on the low, for the low.
READ: Woman Paid For A Butt Lift, Woke Up To Kidney Failure & Tummy Tuck Instead!
Recently, BlackDoctor.org spoke with Lifetime’s “Atlanta Plastic” very own Dr. Wright Jones, who highlighted the many dangers and risks associated with these low cost procedures.

“They’re opening themselves up to all kinds of dangers when meeting these shady people in sketchy locations,” said Wright who revealed that many ignore these red flags simply due to the “low cost.”
According to Jones, cutting corners in the name of a voluptuous derriere or ample breasts can be extremely detrimental as you never know what “filler” is being injected. “If these fillers, [often silicone] reaches the blood stream, it can cause excruciating pain, coughing up blood, swelling of the lower extremities and in some cases, death.”
Meanwhile, Jones argues that while you won’t see these procedures advertised, “word of mouth” has created a boost in business. “Often times, you have a friend or know someone who has undergone a black market procedure, who will refer you,” he said.
READ: The True Costs Of Black Plastic Surgery
Jones went on to add that going under the knife overseas – plastic surgery tourism – is just as risky as surgeons “do not have to be certified – held to the standards of education and ethics like here in the U.S.”