How one woman's cosmetic procedure led to severe facial damage

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - What started as a routine cosmetic procedure for one young woman soon turned into a nightmare. Christina Gherman, 38, had long been self-conscious about her double chin and was eager to find a solution. When she learned about an injectable treatment designed to dissolve fat, she was excited by the promise of a non-surgical, quick fix.

However, even under the care of a so-called expert, things can go terribly wrong if the doctor lacks experience and proper credentials. Sadly, that’s what happened to Gherman. She entrusted her doctor with a non-surgical injectable treatment, used to reduce submental fat (commonly known as a double chin), only to suffer severe complications. Instead of the desired results, she was left with open wounds on her cheek and under her chin, along with deep scarring. To make matters worse, her lips lost proper function.

Devastated, Gherman sought out several surgeons for help, but one after another, they turned her away due to the complexity of the corrective surgery. After much frustration, she finally found Dr. Patrick Davis, a skilled facial reconstructive surgeon out of Beverly Hills, who was able to address the damage.

The repair process was painstaking, requiring delicate removal of damaged tissue and resurfacing of several areas on her face and neck. Ten months of intensive healing followed, but eventually, Gherman regained her confidence and felt comfortable in public again.

Now fully recovered, Gherman is determined to share her story as a cautionary tale about the risks of dermal fillers when not performed by a qualified professional. She urges anyone considering the procedure to do their due diligence, including checking references from past patients, to ensure they are in expert hands.

FOX 11 spoke to Dr. Davis on selecting the correct practitioner.

How important is it to thoroughly research the provider you're considering for treatment?

In this day and age, it’s critical to research any cosmetic provider you are considering. There are stories in which practitioners — some claiming to have official certification — who are unqualified and/or inexperienced in performing a particular procedure. A portion of my work has been fixing less than ideal results of those who were unqualified and inexperienced to be administering such care.  For those seeking cosmetic enhancement, make sure the provider is licensed and that the practice is overseen by a board-certified medical specialist, have robust online reviews and have a clean record from state medical board. It is always possible to ask for some patient reference to learn about their experiences.

What qualifications are required for someone to administer Botox, Kybella or dermal fillers safely?

Though qualifications can vary state by state, most require that a licensed medical professional such as a physician, physician's assistant, registered nurse or nurse practitioner to provide such services.  But caveat emptor, even those armed with licenses may not be experienced at administering botox, Kybella or fillers, so do your due diligence. For example, it is one thing to be licensed as a registered nurse, but it is even better to have completed a certification in aesthetic medicine as this branch of medicine is woefully under-taught in standard medical education. Look at the reviews as well online.

What risks are associated with having dermal fillers injected by an untrained professional?

First and foremost, you should be screened to see if you are allergic to these substances as being so could result in swelling or strong allergic reaction.  Also, non-professionals typically are not as diligent about hygiene and ensuring a sterile environment, which can be dangerous as it increases the risk of bacterial and viral infections. Botox is largely safe, however if injected in the wrong muscle group, can cause temporary paralysis in facial muscles not desired (i.e. eye brow dropping, or eyelid weakness). As for Kybella, one of my patients was injected by an unlicensed provider to dissolve the fat under her chin.  Her inexperienced provider left her with open wounds on her cheek, facial scarring and her lips unable to function properly.

Is it possible to correct or treat complications from improper filler injections?

It is possible to fix botched jobs in many cases, but these require surgeons to have special expertise and the procedures can be dangerous and expensive. In the face for example, a facial plastic surgeon is ideally suited. In cases of prolonged botox use, permanent paralysis of the facial muscles can occur, however if these are the muscles that are desired to be paralyzed, this can have a favorable effect.  Fillers can cause a range of problems if not administered properly.  For instance, injecting inadvertently directly into the blood vessel can damage nearby tissue (necrosis) and cause scarring. We know the impact that poorly injected Kybella can have as was the case with one of my referred patients. Her case required complex surgical intervention and repetitive laser treatments to rectify the damage.