The frightening truth about the fillers craze

As surgeons report a 91% rise in demand for fillers, celebs are blamed for the trend Apprentice star Dr Leah Totton (right) warns they can cause blindness and scarring Lack of legislation over the surgery leads some to risk dodgy DIY ops

Presenter Carol Vorderman’s face sparked concern last week after her pre-recorded appearance on The One Show aired, with viewers accusing her of going over the top with fillers.

One viewer Tweeted, “Too much filler Carol! I would have expected you would take on ageing gracefully,” while others cruelly compared her to the late surgery addict Pete Burns.

Carol, 56, hit back over the hurtful comments, saying her appearance was the result of “medication, no sleep [and being] heartbroken” following her mother’s death.

But with other celebs like reality stars such as Amy Childs, Marnie Simpson and Farrah Abraham all admitting to using fillers, it seems the treatment is more popular than ever.

IN DEMAND

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons [BAAPS], there’s been a 91 per cent rise in people enquiring about facial fillers in the past year, with the highest demand coming from women aged between 18 and 24.

Worryingly, almost half of surgeons have treated patients following botched fillers. And a BAAPS spokesperson warns, “The filler epidemic is the next PIP crisis waiting to happen” – referring to the case where 50,000 women had to have faulty breast implants removed.

Former Apprentice winner, Dr Leah Totton, 29 – who runs her own chain of clinics (Drleah. co.uk) – says her practitioners correct at least 10 botched cases of Botox and fillers a month.

She says, “This craze for cheek and chin fillers is on the rise because of social media. I see clients with pics of celebs with prominent cheekbones and pouty lips, which have become the new ideals of beauty.

KNOW THE RISKS

“You should never have a treatment unless you truly understand what it involves and the associated risks if you don’t like the outcome. I suspect there are some celebs who, on reflection, wish they had taken a more judicious approach.

“Quick-fix fillers carried out by unscrupulous practitioners can lead to lumps, infections, permanent scarring and even blindness. When injected near the eye area there’s a risk the chemicals can enter vessels and block off the blood supply, causing sight loss.”

Shockingly, there’s no age limit on purchasing DIY facial fillers online for as little as £38 and many clinics offer cheap deals. With no laws governing this, Leah says she is deeply concerned.

She adds, “Anyone without medical training can buy fillers and inject themselves. It’s very worrying. The right treatment can make people look good. But when it goes wrong, it can be devastating. If you are considering having fillers always use a reputable clinic.” By Shereen Lowe ● For info, visit Baaps.org.uk

Despite being cautioned by doctors that she could permanently damage her face if she gets more work done, the CBB star insisted: “I really love fillers.” But top surgeon Mark Ho-asjoe says, “It’s truly over the top. She shouldn’t have done anything to her face, she looks so fake – she was pretty before.” She’s admitted she went “overboard” with face and lip fillers, saying earlier this year, “I felt like I’d been in a car crash afterwards. I’ve ruined my looks.” Although reality star Marnie has since had her lip injections removed, Mark says, “She’s crossed the line with the fillers around her cheeks and nose – she looks unnatural.”

says: “She has overdone her cheek filler and should have gone for a subtler change.” lost their definition. Her cheeks were so bloated and her eyes sunken in.” The former TOWIE star has admitted having lip fillers and Botox in the past, but last year confessed she may have taken it too far, saying, “I looked like a freak.” And although Amy’s toned down her look since becoming a mum, Mark After years of using facial fillers, actress Courteney Cox went too far, leaving her face distorted. She revealed earlier this year she’s now had all her fillers dissolved. Mark adds, “Her face was blown out of proportion and her features