You can talk all day long about the troubling pressure many women feel to obtain a perfect figure (whether it's inspired by Victoria's Secret or King Magazine), but few stories will do as much as this one to illustrate how problematic that quest can be. Los Angeles resident April Brown says she had to have multiple limbs removed after living for five years in "excruciating pain," all as the result of silicone butt injections gone wrong.
From Rolling Out:
The mother and former cosmetologist had her legs and part of her arms removed to save her life after doctors reported that she had multiple infections from the substance she placed into her body. “They call it butt injections,” she told a local California news station. “These things are done at pumping parties. They call it medical grade silicone, but a lot of it is industrial grade silicone.”
Now calling herself a “survivor” Brown says she feels enamored by the love and support of her friends who feared she would die as a result of her plastic surgery nightmare.”We don’t validate each other,” she said. “We really don’t know how our friends feel about us, unless we have very expressive friends.”
Now thankful for her life despite her situation, Brown says she hopes to become a motivational speaker and empower girls who may be dealing with body confidence issues much like she was before her quest for perfection nearly killed her.
Kudos to Brown for turning this disastrous experience into something positive. If her story isn't enough to drive home the message that you should leave good enough alone — or at least avoid risky procedures — when it comes to your body, we don't know what is.
Read more at Rolling Out.