A tragic incident in China has raised serious concerns about the safety of multiple cosmetic surgeries. A woman, identified as Liu, from a rural area of ​​Guigang, Guangxi province, tragically died after undergoing six cosmetic procedures in a single day. His family has since filed a lawsuit against the clinic, seeking compensation and liability for what they allege was negligence and inadequate care. However, the court granted only half the amount initially requested by Liu’s family, sparking a public debate about the risks of major cosmetic enhancements.

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Liu’s desire for transformation ends in tragedy

According to the South China Morning Post, Liu, who traveled to Nanning, southern China, on December 9, 2020, had taken out a loan of more than 40,000 yuan (US$5,600) to finance her cosmetic procedures. Her first round of surgeries included a double eyelid surgery and a nose job, which lasted five hours. This was followed by a second procedure the next morning, in which fat removed by liposuction from the thigh was injected into the face and breasts.

Shortly after being discharged on December 11, Liu collapsed in the clinic’s elevator. Clinic staff provided him with emergency care, but his condition quickly worsened. She was rushed to Nanning Second People’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead later that afternoon. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was acute respiratory failure caused by a pulmonary embolism, related to the liposuction procedure.

Family legal battle and partial settlement

In response, Liu’s family filed a lawsuit in the Jiangnan District People’s Court of Nanning City, demanding 1.18 million yuan (US$168,000) in compensation. Her husband said: “The clinic offered me 200,000 yuan as compensation. I said that at least one million yuan should be given for the death of a person. Even if we split the responsibility, it should be at least 500,000 yuan.”

Initially, the court found the clinic fully liable and ordered compensation of more than one million yuan. However, the clinic appealed, arguing that Liu should have understood the inherent risks associated with cosmetic procedures. After court-mandated agencies requested documentation about the clinic’s standards, which the clinic did not provide, the ruling was partially revised. The court ultimately awarded Liu’s family 590,000 yuan, attributing shared responsibility due to Liu’s pre-existing health conditions.

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A growing debate about the risks of cosmetic surgery

The incident has sparked widespread debate in China about the growing demand for cosmetic procedures and the need for stricter regulation to ensure patient safety.