Exclusive:
Mirror reporters went undercover at a major health expo in London to discover how prospective patients are sold their cosmetic surgery dreams
A Turkish surgeon at a health tourism fair in London was touting his ‘signature surgery’ – and he calls it Barbie Vagina.
Dr Ali Dogukan Angin, who specialises in ‘genital aesthetics’, left onlookers a little surprised at the second international health tourism expo held at the prestigious QEII centre close to Westminster Abbey.
Arranged by Turkish events firm ALZ, more than 80 businesses were advertising their services to their ever-increasing British market.
And Dr Angin – smiling gleefully in front of a near-life-sized picture of himself – was only too happy to show undercover Mirror reporters his handy work.
“Sit down, I’ll show you”, when we asked him what exactly ‘genital aesthetics’ was.
And he certainly did show us – dozens upon dozens of ‘before and after’ vagina images, describing proudly how is work can, apparently, increase the sexual confidence of women.
Indeed, on a separate laptop, he attempted to illustrate just that – where a ‘couple’ tried and failed to have sex before the female’s operation, but were practically swinging from the chandeliers when they attempted it post-procedure.
The Barbie Vagina look, at a cost of £2,500, requires surgery or treatment to make the vagina appear ‘neater’ and symmetrical, he explained.
“Barbie means beautiful women,” he told us, adding that patients usually arrive on a Monday, have the surgery on a Tuesday and fly home on a Wednesday.
Asked if he offered other types of treatment, he said no, adding he sticks to genetal aesthetics because, ‘like a good restaurant’, he prefers to specialize in one area rather than many.
Obstetrician Dr Angin said genital aesthetics are currently in “high demand”, for functional and sexual health problems as well as cosmetic reasons, and that research is “increasing daily.”
He said that “patient selection is essential” with such treatments, and that “every procedure and surgery has risks”.
Dr Ali added: “Turkey is a very developed country in the field of health […and] is preferred not because it is cheaper than other countries but because of the quality services and procedures provided by experienced physicians, clinics, and hospitals.”
Meanwhile, dangerous Brazilian butt lift surgery was being offered by Turkish firms during the health fair – including to a Mirror reporter.
Offered Turkish Delight by a sales rep and told repeatedly how ‘cheap’ surgery is in Istanbul, we were sat down within minutes of walking into the event to talk about cosmetic procedures.
Despite Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) having a high mortality rate, our female reporter was told by General Coordinator Vural Çetin, from EB Clinic in Istanbul, that she would have “no problem” qualifying for the surgery. He is not a doctor.
Some hospitals in Turkey now distance themselves from the procedure because of its ‘high mortality rate’ but EB quoted us between £3,200 and £4,200 for the surgery – depending on the type we opted for.
Our reporter was told she could have it as soon as next month, pending an online consultation with a surgeon.
The price would include airport transfers, a hotel and an English-speaking medical consultant. On arriving in Istanbul, the reporter would meet the surgeon for tests before the operation, he said.
Asked about the risks of a BBL, Mr Çetin said: “Every surgery has some risks and you have to accept some risks. We have to minimise the risks.”
He said that the firm’s surgeons are fully-qualified, claiming that some clinics in Turkey have “technical people – not doctors” performing surgery. “You have to be sure whether they are doctors or not,” he added.
Another staff member, who introduced herself as a doctor, told the reporters: “Turkey is one of the most popular places in the world for the surgery. Especially the BBL. A lot of people are coming to Turkey just to do this surgery. ”
Mirror footage showed Mr Çetin telling our reporter: “BBL is risky […] I think there’s no problem with BBL for you, but we have to ask our doctors.”
Yet when approached for a comment, Mr Çetin falsely claimed he had explicitly told them that he does not personally recommend BBL surgery due to the risks.
Mr Çetin added: “As a health tourism company, our primary role is to connect patients seeking information about various medical procedures with experienced surgeons for a free consultation. […] As you are aware, I am not a doctor, and I do not have the authority to decide whether a patient is fit for surgery […] final decisions are made transparently between the patient and the doctor.
“It is an unfortunate reality that BBL procedures have resulted in fatalities both in Turkey and globally,” he said. “However, when we provide information, we refer solely to the records of the surgeons we represent. “We do not represent the aesthetic surgeons of Medicana Hospital, nor have we had any cases of patient fatalities following BBL procedures performed by the surgeons we work with.”
