CHINA US$332,000 BREAST IMPLANTS WITH CATTLE DNA LEAVE WOMAN SEVERLY DISABLED

Investigations into fellow cosmetic surgery patients at clinic find their implants included traces of DNA from camels, bats and gorillas

A woman in China who spent nearly 2.4 million yuan (US$332,000) on breast implants which caused severe disability only to discover that they contained the DNA of cattle and moose.

Lingling, from Jiangxi province in southeastern China, became interested in a so-called innovative breast augmentation technique promoted by the owner of a local beauty salon in 2017.

The Beijing clinic behind the method claimed to extract and cultivate the patient's collagen before reinjecting into the breasts to create a "self-derived, self-used" result with no rejection.

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In September the same year, Lingling joined the salon owner to visit Beijing Creating Medical Cosmetic Clinic. The head surgeon, Bai Jin, assured her that the procedure was simple and safe.

However, after the surgery, Lingling experienced pain and a foreign object sensation in her breasts.

Over the next six years, she underwent nine surgeries, including implant insertion and repairs, costing a total of 2.39 million yuan.

By 2023, Lingling discovered leakage and deformation in her breast implants.

"There were two lumps on my chest that reached my stomach," she said.

Lingling asked the Beijing clinic for corrective surgery, but they required a medical assessment report.

In October 2024, she went to a hospital in Shanghai to have the implants removed and tested.

During the procedure, doctors found the injected material had caused bodily damage.

Investigators later discovered animal DNA from moose and cattle in the implants, contradicting the clinic's claim of "self-derived" implants.

An authoritative medical institution classified Lingling's breast deformity as a severe disability which caused her significant physical and psychological pain.

Fu, a beauty industry insider from Jiangxi, told Jiangxi Television that previous patients had also tested their implants and found DNA from camels, bats, and gorillas.

"These non-human materials can cause adverse reactions, like immune rejection," Fu explained.

Lingling sought compensation but found that both the clinic and beauty salon had closed.

The Beijing Creating Medical Cosmetic Clinic where her surgery took place had its business license revoked and was involved in 398 medical malpractice disputes. Its head surgeon, Bai, was also unregistered with medical authorities.

On March 1, Lingling reported the case to Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

However, because the disputes involve now-closed institutions, she faces significant challenges in seeking justice.

Regarding the clinic's false advertising, the market regulatory department said it would conduct further investigations.

The incident has attracted widespread attention on mainland social media, with related topics amassing more than 37 million views.

One online observer said: "Appearance anxiety has affected the values of many women. Lingling is so unfortunate."

While another wrote: "Many unscrupulous beauty clinics reopen under new names after closing, creating a legal grey area that is very hard to hold accountable."

"That two million yuan could have been spent on fitness and a healthy diet to improve one's appearance, not on surgery that nearly cost a life," added a third.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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2025-03-25T01:12:23Z