WOULD YOU BUY YOURSELF A BUDGET BODY?

A rise in botched cosmetic surgery carried out overseas has prompted a warning from health experts

- JADE BEECROFT, BESS BROWNING

A nip here and a tuck there, Brits have a growing appetite for cosmetic surgery. But with purse strings pulled tight in the UK, and the lure of half-price treatments abroad, it is no surprise many opt to hop on a flight in pursuit of a dream body.

But as the grand old saying goes, you get what you pay for. And, sadly, while many are happy with their results, there has been a staggering 44% rise in botched cosmetic procedures carried out overseas.*

However, the terrifying statistics are seemingly not putting Brits off - The Transform Hospital Group, which specializes in cosmetic surgery in the UK, has found online searches for 'cosmetic surgery in Turkey' increased by almost a third between March 2021 and March 2022.

So, what happens when it does go wrong? Woman's Own speaks to an expert about the importance of responsible practitioners and aftercare, and a woman who learnt that the hard way.

My desire to look good nearly killed me'

Michelle Heath, 40, owns Tanning Emporium and lives in Belfast with her son Luke, 19.

As I tearfully asked to see a photograph of my back, every inch of my body ached. Peering at the picture the nurse had taken, I gasped. A gaping hole burrowed into my lower back, flesh, and pus oozing out of my skin. 'Oh God, I'm dying.'

I had spent years battling my weight. Growing up in a flat above a newsagent, I was always nipping downstairs for sweets, chocolate, and crisps, and by the time I was 18, I weighed 19st.

But after becoming a young mum to my son Luke in January 2003, I started my own business, Tanning Emporium, and I worked out daily and dieted, losing 10st over the next few years.