NEW YORK, Apr 18, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- The New York City health department
is warning residents about the dangers of receiving body-enhancement injections
of castor oil and other substances.
Dr. Nathan Graber, director of the health department's environmental and
occupational disease program, says the department has been notified of five
cases in the past two years involving injections of various oils to the hips,
thighs, breasts and buttocks by unlicensed practitioners for cosmetic purposes.
Similar cases have been reported in other cities and states.
The substances used to enhance body parts include castor oil, silicone,
petroleum jelly, mineral oil or cod liver oil.
Those practices are illegal and unsafe, Graber says. The injections can cause
serious infections, nerve damage, respiratory and kidney failure, irreversible
disabilities, disfigurement and death. They also carry the risk of spreading
infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C.
"People who undergo these unsafe procedures hope to enhance their appearance,
but the reality can be lifelong deformity and even death," Graber says in a
statement. "We urge people to talk to a licensed health care provider about
where to go for safe procedures."
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