Brit mum, 38, who died after BBL surgery ‘had only visited Turkey clinic for lipo when doc offered cut-price op’

A BRIT woman who died after BBL surgery had only visited the Turkish clinic for liposuction when she was offered the cut-price op, an inquest heard. Hayley Dowell, 38, was asked ten minutes before her planned surgery whether she also wanted the Brazilian butt-lift to help enhance her “flat” bottom. Hayley Dowell, 38, suffered complications after undergoing cosmetic surgery Credit: Facebook She had the surgery at BHT Clinic in Istanbul Credit: Google Maps Tragically, the mum-of-three suffered medical complications at the private BHT Clinic in Istanbul and died on October 3, 2023. Winchester Coroner’s Court heard Hayley was “very self conscious of her body” so travelled to Turkey for liposuction and a tummy tuck. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! She had already undergone two breast augmentations in the UK prior to flying to Turkey, and she was curious about having further surgery. While waiting for the op, a surgeon asked if he could take the fat he was removing from Hayley and use it to enhance her bottom. She was given five minutes to consider the BBL proposal and the surgeon knocked £1,000 off the £7,000 price, it was heard. Hayley’s husband Neil Dowell told the inquest he did not think she had signed a consent form to undergo the BBL prior to her operation. He also claimed doctors at the Turkish clinic did not outline the risks of the procedure to his wife Neil added: “She was very embarrassed of her body. We just assumed he was going to use fat from the lipo. She was excited about it. Most read in The Sun Hayley’s husband Neil gave evidence at the inquest What are Brazilian Bum Lifts and why are they so popular? Buttock enlargement surgery – known as a Brazilian bum-lift (BBL) – is used to make the bum look bigger, rounded and lifted. Surgeons transfer fat, inject filler or insert silicone-filled implants. It is the fastest growing cosmetic procedure but also one of the most dangerous, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Many patients are travelling to the likes of Turkey or seeking out unregistered surgeons in the UK and are not given full information on the risks. BBLs carry the highest risk of all cosmetic surgeries – with more than one death occurring per 4,000 procedures. “They deducted £1,000 from the procedure because she was already having the other procedure. “We had five minutes to decide that. We are trying to sort it out. Checking our banks, saying you pay half and I will pay half. “It was so quick. We had to make a quick decision. She was going down in 10 minutes after the woman left with the card machine. “The surgeon never came back in. They came in with anaesthetic to make her a bit drowsy, and they took her away.” Area Coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, Nicholas Walker said Neil was told four hours into the surgery that it was going well. But just before midnight, he was asked to go with medical staff because Hayley was very “unwell” and had suffered two cardiac arrests. Neil was tragically told to say his goodbyes before Hayley passed away just before midnight. Mr Walker said Hayley suffered a fat embolism – an issue that can arise after surgery and causes a potentially fatal blood flow blockage. He said the pathologist’s evidence carried out in Turkey and agreed as likely in the UK found she died from micro fat embolism, which affected her lungs, from the liposuction operation. The coroner indicated he was looking to produce a prevention of future deaths report. Dr Sophie Chung, CEO of Qunomedical, said they were the “facilitators” of the surgery. She said the firm no longer worked with the BHT Clinic and they no longer offer BBL surgeries through their company. When asked why the surgeon was still listed on the company’s website, Dr Chung said she was not aware but it was likely he had changed clinics. The BHT Clinic declined to give evidence at the inquest, which continues.