Health professionals in Glasgow are reporting a surge in male patients requiring emergency treatment due to complications from cosmetic procedures aimed at enlarging the penis or treating erectile dysfunction. In one case, a man had to have his penis amputated after suffering an extremely severe reaction.
Botox can be prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction by relaxing muscles and improving blood flow, and fillers can be injected into the body to rejuvenate volume, medical experts have confirmed. Genital injections remain a highly specialised area of medical aesthetics requiring expertise and sterile environments. However, these procedures are believed to be carried out at unregulated “pop-up clinics”, often operated by individuals with no formal medical training.
Botox side effects can be life-changing
Insiders from NHS hospitals, such as the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, have told the Daily Record they’ve seen an increase in men attending A&E after undergoing such treatments. Complications from these injections can be severe and, in some cases, life-altering. One patient reportedly required a full penile amputation after receiving a vaseline-type filler. Another patient in his 30s experienced a serious reaction after having Botox injected into his genitals. One NHS insider reported “queues down the street.”
It’s believed the rogue practitioners have been advertising on social media. Claiming the procedures are a quick and easy fix to increase the length and girth of the penis or help those struggling to perform in the bedroom.
Edinburgh doctor “horrified” by consequences of unregulated penis Botox
Dr. Ben Taylor-Davies, an A&E doctor and director of the Stockbridge Clinic in Edinburgh, told the Daily Record –
“Even in the hands of a trained specialist, these procedures carry significant risk. Administered improperly, they can result in infection, tissue damage, and in extreme cases, death.”
He also shared that he had been approached to host a company looking for premises to offer genital procedures, but refused as it’s not a procedure he’d ever recommend, even if you went to a specialist.
Top plastic surgeon Dr. Darren McKeown echoed these concerns, warning men that cosmetic genital procedures are not a quick fix.
“Social media has created unrealistic expectations. The truth is these treatments rarely offer long-term success and can result in lasting health problems.”
Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) currently oversees the regulation of private cosmetic clinics. There are over 500 clinics registered across Scotland, but the emergence of unlicensed operators remains a threat. A spokesperson from HIS stated:
“Undergoing any cosmetic treatment is a serious decision. Patients should ensure they are being treated by qualified professionals in a regulated clinic to safeguard their health.”
Who is to blame for botched Botox procedures?
Scott Whyte, Managing Director at Watermans shared his thoughts on the liability issues that come up with such clinics.
“As the range and availability of cosmetic procedures continues to evolve, so too sadly do the amount of rogue operators offering procedures at prices that may be too good to be true – but with results that are literally the stuff of nightmares.
“The effect of these botched procedures have life changing consequences for those in the receiving end, as well as adding further strain on our already over-stretched NHS. Meanwhile those running these clinics rub their hands together having sucked in another victim to profiteer from.
“We’ve called for tighter regulation, compulsory insurance and better consumer protection in this industry for a long time and this latest case just highlights how urgently that is needed.”