What starts as a pursuit of beauty online is increasingly ending in hospital wards, with health authorities and medical experts warning that unregulated cosmetic procedures and viral beauty trends are placing lives at serious risk.
In Gauteng, the Department of Health has raised alarm following two serious cases in the Ekurhuleni region, where patients were admitted to a public health facility with severe complications, including organ failure, after using unverified injectable substances.
In a statement, the department said it is deeply concerned about the growing use of unregulated substances for body enhancement and sexual performance purposes, often obtained through informal and unsafe channels.
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the cases remain under investigation.
“The cases, currently under investigation, involve two individuals who presented at a public health facility with severe complications, including organ failure, following the use of unregulated substances obtained through informal channels,” Mabona said.
Mabona said the substances were used in procedures linked to body enhancement practices, including so-called “BBL” procedures and sexual performance enhancement.
“Preliminary findings indicate that these substances are being accessed outside regulated healthcare environments and, in some instances, are supplied directly to individuals together with equipment for self-administration,” he said.
Mabona also warned that the products are not approved for human use and their composition remains unknown, making them extremely dangerous.
“The Department reiterates that such products are not approved for human use and their composition remains unknown, posing significant risks to public health and safety,” he said.
He added that the department is working with law enforcement and regulatory authorities to trace the source and distribution of the substances.
Public members have been urged to avoid any injectable product that is not prescribed and administered by a qualified healthcare professional.
“The Department is concerned about misleading claims associated with such products, including the notion that pain, swelling or burning following injection indicates effectiveness. These symptoms are often indicative of serious underlying complications,” Mabona said.
He further urged the public to report the sale or distribution of unregistered medicines and related products to authorities.
Beyond the illegal substances, medical experts say a second danger is emerging online, driven by viral beauty content that is normalising cosmetic surgery as a quick, harmless fix.
A growing trend involving so-called “fake dimple” clips circulating on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram has raised concern among doctors, who warn that invasive procedures are being misrepresented as simple beauty hacks.
Professor Chrysis Sofianos, a triple-board certified plastic surgeon and Academic Head of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of the Witwatersrand, says he is increasingly seeing patients influenced by these trends.
“Medical procedures should never be marketed with the casual attitude of a makeup tutorial,” Sofianos said.
He warned that procedures such as dimpleplasty are invasive surgical interventions that carry real risks.
“Dimpleplasty is invasive cosmetic surgery. It involves a small incision inside the cheek where tissue is sutured to create an indentation designed to mimic a natural dimple. The face is one of the most delicate areas of the body, and any procedure that cuts into it carries real risks of long-term damage.”
He said the risks are not only physical, but also psychological.
“Because the face is closely tied to identity and self-esteem, a failed facial procedure can lead to embarrassment, anxiety, social withdrawal and serious emotional distress. In many cases, the psychological consequences last longer than the physical healing process,” he said.
Regulatory authorities have also stepped in, warning that beyond social media trends, illegal medical practice is further increasing the risk to the public.
The concerns have also been echoed in recent reporting by the Saturday Star, which highlighted the growing dangers posed by unqualified and unregistered individuals operating within the medical space.
Dr. Cedric Sihlangu, General Secretary of the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU), warned that patients are increasingly at risk when treated by unregistered practitioners.
“This issue poses a significant risk mostly to the safety of the patients, as they end up receiving prescriptions of medicine that is not relevant to their illnesses. Some of these doctors even dispense unregistered medications. Generally, this issue affects the credibility of the medical fraternity,” Sihlangu said.
He said the problem undermines years of medical training and public trust in the healthcare system.
“It undermines the skills and technicalities that one acquires through rigorous training in medical school for a period of six years and more.”
Sihlangu called for stronger enforcement and public awareness campaigns.
“The Health Professions Council of South Africa needs to make it easy for patients to check if an individual is a qualified medical doctor before they can even consult with them. Increased policing and inspection of all medical practices is also required,” he said.
“There need to be campaigns aimed at educating the public about the dangers of consulting or taking medical advice from someone whose qualifications you, as the patient, have not confirmed. Considering the risks posed by bogus doctors to patients, there should be much stricter consequences for those presenting themselves to be medical doctors when they are not,” he added.
The Professional Board for Environmental Health Practitioners (PBEHP), under the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), says only registered and qualified practitioners are legally permitted to perform regulated health procedures.
The board says it is concerned about a growing number of individuals falsely posing as qualified practitioners, warning that this violates the Health Professions Act No. 56 of 1974.
“Section 34 of the Act is clear — no person may practise a registered health profession in South Africa unless they are formally registered in terms of the law,” the council said.
It warned that offenders are committing a criminal offence and may face prosecution and penalties upon conviction.
The HPCSA said unregistered practice poses a direct threat to public health and safety.
“This conduct places the health and safety of members of the public at serious risk,” the council said.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star
