A cautionary tale - especially as the number of patients suffering side-effects of illegal cosmetic procedures is growing rapidly as the recession drags on. Korea University Medical Center sees ten to fifteen such patients every month. Asan Medical Center also has almost a dozen patients with similar complaints. It treated no fewer than four women who received "collagen" injections at the same parlor. Another patient almost lost her eyesight because a botox injection touched the optic nerve.

“Although the side effects of illegal plastic surgery have always been an issue, the number of victims is rapidly growing due to the economic crunch,” Prof. Hong Jun-pyo of the Asan Medical Center says. Prof. Park Seung-ha of Korea University Medical Center adds, “Most of the problems come from injecting alien substances like paraffin into the skin... Almost all treatments that should be conducted at the hospital, such as botox injections, dermabrasion, and cosmetic tattoos are being done at beauty parlors or saunas.”

One sauna, in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu, even has a poster advertising its eyebrow and eye-line tattoo surgery. "Make a reservation by phone to get a botox or collagen injection,” the owner advised the Chosun Ilbo reporter.

But be warned: most of the cosmetic surgery in these places is done by stylists or former nurses - none of them professional cosmetic surgeons. Nor are the syringes and other equipment approved medical supplies. “Botox is only supplied to the certified medical institutions,” says Prof. Kim Sung-taek of Yonsei University. "There is a good chance that the botox they use is contraband of very low quality.” No wonder there are calls for more effective measures from the medical community. “The government should enforce stronger measures to control these illegal practices," demands Kim Young-ji, the head of the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

(Im Ho-jun, imhojun@chosun.com )