Fatal 'Brazilian butt lift' reveals ugly side of cosmetic tourism in Turkey

A British woman who underwent surgery in Turkey to enhance her buttocks died just days after the procedure, the latest in a string of fatalities linked to cosmetic interventions in Turkish clinics.

Demi Agoglia, 26, of Salford, Greater Manchester, had the operation on Thursday, with doctors declaring it a success. The mother of three began feeling ill just before she was due to fly back home, the British tabloid The Sun reported. Agoglia was taken into intensive care but was pronounced dead on Monday.

“She is only 26; she shouldn’t have died. Just don’t do it, it’s such a high risk. She should have never done it. She has left three young kids,” lamented her brother Carl to the Daily Mail.

Turkey is a premier destination for cosmetic surgery due to lower prices, ease of access and aggressive advertising that has seen thousands of Brits as well as Middle Easterners flock to Istanbul, Izmir and other major cities for hair and dental implants, tummy tucks and “Brazilian butt lifts.” The so-called BBLs involve harvesting fat from elsewhere in the body and injecting it into the buttocks to give them a fuller, bouncier allure inspired by the reality show star Kim Kardashian. In the United Kingdom the procedure can cost around $13,000, whereas in Turkey they can be had for as little as $3,000. The operations are often sold as part of a package that includes accommodation in a high-end hotel and sightseeing tours.