Five-star hotel’s cosmetic surgeon sued by woman he ‘disfigured’

A COSMETIC surgeon who runs a clinic at a five-star Heathrow hotel is being sued for allegedly disfiguring a patient after she suffered a severe allergic reaction.

Dr Colin Lyons, who runs the Heathrow Clinic at the spa of the Terminal 5 Sofitel – where he offers a range of treatments, including so-called “vampire” facelifts – is accused of negligence. He allegedly failed to carry out a proper examination or act quickly enough when the treatment began to go wrong. The case comes amid a growing demand for the skin treatments and facelifts offered at UK airport spas and hotels to fatigued business travellers.

Penny Collins, 59, is suing Dr Lyons “as it is safe and gives natural, semi-permanent results” – recommended a £250 course of Botox treatment and fillers in the lines between her nose and lips.

But things began to go wrong as soon as he started treatment on Ms Collins, a retired charity worker and volunteer. In a writ lodged with the High Court she alleges that she suffered intense pain on the left side of her face, followed by a burning sensation, when Dr Lyons injected the hyaluronic acid filler – intended to soften and remove wrinkles – into her face.

Dr Lyons recommended she apply ice to ease the pain, but when she woke the next morning with bruising and swelling Ms Collins tried to contact his clinic. Unable to raise anyone she went to Charing Cross Hospital’s accident and emergency department where she was given a course of antibiotics.

On returning to A&E she was referred back to Dr Lyons, who on seeing her later that day, sent her back to hospital by taxi. By this point Ms Collins’ face was so swollen she could barely open her eyes and she was referred to Charing Cross Hospital’s plastic surgery team for remedial treatment.

Over the next few weeks she underwent five operations to flush out the infection in her cheeks and had to use mouthwash, which stained her teeth orangey-brown.

Ms Collins alleges that Dr Lyons was negligent in failing immediately to inject her with a hyaluronidase reversing agent when the treatment showed signs of going badly wrong.

Instead he allegedly gave her steroids, when it was clear these risked causing further damage. She also maintains that if Dr Lyons had properly warned her of the risks.

The writ states that Ms Collins’ face is now asymmetrical when she tries to smile, her left lip droops, and she has a depressed scar in the middle of her left cheek which forms an unsightly onesided dimple when she tries to smile.

Dr Lyons, who runs another clinic in Bristol where he lives, said he was unable to comment on the case.