More than skin deep

More than skin deep

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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.

. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

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.

. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

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.

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Slideshow

Maria Carolina Parejo chats with friends a day before surgery to remove liquid silicone from her buttocks.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Maria Carolina Parejo chats with friends a day before surgery to remove liquid silicone from her buttocks.

Patients wait to be seen in plastic surgeon Daniel Slobodianik's office.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Patients wait to be seen in plastic surgeon Daniel Slobodianik's office.

The doctor talks to one of his patients about surgery to remove liquid silicone.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

The doctor talks to one of his patients about surgery to remove liquid silicone.

Blanca Castellano shows Slobodianik the deformation caused by liquid silicone injections in her lips.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Blanca Castellano shows Slobodianik the deformation caused by liquid silicone injections in her lips.

A girl plays with silicone breast implants as her mother waits to be examined.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A girl plays with silicone breast implants as her mother waits to be examined.

Slobodianik consults with three patients, all of whom had liquid silicone injections.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Slobodianik consults with three patients, all of whom had liquid silicone injections.

He sits to examine one of them.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

He sits to examine one of them.

The doctor looks at X-rays of 30-year-old Evelin De Aguilar before surgery to remove the liquid silicone from her body.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

The doctor looks at X-rays of 30-year-old Evelin De Aguilar before surgery to remove the liquid silicone from her body.

Slobodianik plans incisions on De Aguilar before beginning the procedure.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Slobodianik plans incisions on De Aguilar before beginning the procedure.

A nurse wheels Maria Carolina Parejo into an operating room.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A nurse wheels Maria Carolina Parejo into an operating room.

Slobodianik performs surgery on Parejo.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Slobodianik performs surgery on Parejo.

A surgeon holds out a ball of silicone removed from a patient.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A surgeon holds out a ball of silicone removed from a patient.

Surgeons extract damaged tissue and liquid silicone from De Aguilar.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Surgeons extract damaged tissue and liquid silicone from De Aguilar.

A nurse cleans Parejo after surgery.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

A nurse cleans Parejo after surgery.

Doctors put a body corset on her after the operation.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Doctors put a body corset on her after the operation.

De Aguilar lies in bed, recovering a day after her procedure.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

De Aguilar lies in bed, recovering a day after her procedure.

She rests after returning home.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

She rests after returning home.

De Aguilar walks her dogs while recovering from the surgery.
. CARACAS, Venezuela. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

De Aguilar walks her dogs while recovering from the surgery.