Venezuelan plastic surgeon Dr. Daniel Slobodianik uses a pen to mark out future incisions on a patient. The operation he is planning is not to make her more beautiful, but to reverse a damaging cosmetic procedure she had in the past – the injection of liquid silicone into her buttocks.
Injections of the substance can cause severe physical damage and they became illegal in Venezuela in 2011. Nevertheless, they have been used by many in the country looking to enhance their natural assets.
Patients pull horrified faces as Dr. Slobodianik shows them a photo on his mobile phone while explaining the details of surgery to remove the liquid silicone.
Despite the procedure’s gruesome appearance, it can be necessary to help reverse the effect of the injections, which according to the Venezuelan health ministry can cause allergies, infections and in some cases even death.
Maria Carolina Parejo, a patient of Dr. Slobodianik, stands in a medical gown as she prepares to undergo surgery to remove liquid silicone from her buttocks.
The operation costs around $8,200 and can take between two and three hours, depending on how much fluid the patient has in the area.