HOUSTON – A mother and her daughter both put in handcuffs Wednesday are facing charges related to unlawful medical practice.
A sting operation conducted by the Houston Police Department revealed accusations the two would travel across the country giving paying clients illegal butt injections.
A certified plastic surgeon in the Greenway/Upper Kirby area says getting such a serious procedure done by someone unqualified could have deadly consequences.
“Not only could you lose your life, but the complications are going to cost you far more than if you had paid to have the procedure properly done,” said Board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Forrest Roth.
KPRC 2 interviewed Dr. Roth following news of 56-year-old Consuelo Dal Bo and 18-year-old Isabella Dal Bo. The mother, daughter duo were arrested during a sting operation in Cypress Wednesday. Officials say even though they have no licenses, they administered multiple illegal buttocks injections throughout the country. A procedure Dr. Roth says is delicate.
“It is safe, but it is not an easy procedure, and it is not safe if you haven’t been trained,” Dr. Roth said.
The Texas Medical Board makes it easy to look up healthcare provider information.
Dr. Roth says having the procedure done by unqualified people puts the patient at higher risk of infection and even death.
“The buttocks is one of the most dangerous sites to inject because of the size of the blood vessels. So, the injectable products can get in the veins and travel to other parts of the body,” he said.
While Dr. Roth says he only uses safe fillers like fat, a product called Sculptra and another called Radiesse, he says unqualified professionals may use products that aren’t safe.
“Liquid silicone is very dangerous, collagen. Sometimes people use products like silica from Home Depot,” he said.
It’s unclear what the Dal Bo’s allegedly used, but officials say they would charge around $6,000 per procedure. Roth says certified professionals charge about the same, plus facility and material fees.
Both Dal Bo’s have been released on bond, their next court date is set for April 10.