Beware of Stem Cell Cosmetics

Cosmetic surgery is aimed at improving the aesthetic appearance of a person. Cosmetic eyelid and facial plastic surgery also known as cosmetic periocular (around the eyes) surgery or simply Oculoplastics is done to correct hooded or baggy eyelids and improve the aesthetic appearance of the eyelids and surrounding area of the face, including the eyebrows, forehead and midface. Such surgeries are done by the following procedures:

• Upper eyelid blepharoplasty


• Lower eyelid blepharoplasty


• Endoscopic and non-endoscopic eyebrow and/or forehead lift


• Mid face / cheek lift


• BOTOX (botulinum toxin) lift (careful with the spelling!)


• Fillers and other injections around the eyes and face

Recently, stem cells taken from (mesenchymal tissues) abdominal fat—cells are used for Oculoplasty. These mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent and  are capable of  'turning into' bones and cartilages apart from adipose tissue  depending upon 'circumstances' in which they grow.

A Los Angeles woman underwent a $20,000 Oculoplasty surgery for a facelift in 2009. The cosmetic  surgeons isolated mesenchymal stem cells from her abdominal fat and injected  into the skin around her eyes. At the time of stem cell injection, to reduce wrinkles around her eyes, the surgeons also injected dermal filler madeup largely of calcium hydroxylapatite. This in due course of time has induced the mesenchymal stem cells to grow also into bone tissue. Now all these have ended up with fragments of bone embedded around her right eye, which made strange clicking noises and caused considerable pain.

This case has brought to light the dangers of the untested stem cell-based cosmetic procedures that are becoming increasingly common in cosmetic clinics around the world.

BOTOX Lift

Wrinkle Procedure

Think twice before to take up Cosmetic Stem Cell therapy!

- Dr. P. Kumarasamy

Further reading:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=stem-cell-cosmetics