My flesh turned BLACK and rotted away after botched £19,000 mummy makeover – I’ve been left permamently deformed
A WOMAN who went through a ‘mummy makeover’ has described how it left her with rotting flesh and permanent nerve damage.
Erica Zaccone underwent the knife in February 2024 to have a tummy tuck, a breast lift and liposuction – otherwise known as a ‘mummy makeover‘.
She had been waiting 15 years to get the $25,000 (£19,000) op, but now regrets it after being left ‘deformed’.
Erica, from Toms River, New Jersey, US, said: “This destroyed my life. I paid for my body to be deformed.
“I feel like I’m being punished for not loving my body enough, I feel like a shell of the person I used to be.”
The 5ft 3in 38-year-old was desperate to ditch the loose skin that had plagued her since losing 5st (75lbs) through diet and exercise at the age of 22. She had tipped the scales at 14st 3lbs at her heaviest.
She says: “At the time I felt like I was hiding a dirty secret under my clothes.
“I’d done all this work, I lost the weight, I was in great shape but I had loose skin and stretchmarks on my stomach that everyone would be able to see.
“I felt like I was a walking catfish. It was this deep, deep insecurity that I felt was holding me back in every aspect of my life.
“Finally after 15 years I had a boyfriend and he helped me get the tummy tuck as it was something I wanted.”
Having thoroughly researched different clinics and having five consultations, Erica went for a surgeon with good reviews and ‘cost the most’.
She says: “I had five consultations to talk to different surgeons and did research. I got the most expensive surgeon that I saw.”
But Erica says days after the six-hour operation a hard, black scab formed on her tummy.
She went to hospital where doctors told her it was necrosis – the death of bodily tissue.
After doctors removed the scab Erica was left with a ‘huge’ hole.
Erica said: “About three days later I saw very strange colouring that went from the incision line that started trailing all the way up to my belly button.
“It almost looked like a bruise.
“I went to my doctors and he said this is most likely necrosis, he couldn’t give me a healing timeline.
“Little by little it got worse and that dark bruise turned into a hard, black scab.
“Part of the scab fell off and underneath I saw a very tiny but very deep hole, I thought I was going to get sepsis.”
After docs removed the scab leaving a gaping hole, Erica faced the ‘traumatic’ daily ritual of soaking the rotting wound, which was two inches long and wide with antiseptic for three months.
Erica said the ordeal caused permanent nerve damage and ‘destroyed her life’ – and left her fearful of leaving home.
She says: “I had to do a chemical debridement using a very strong antiseptic solution.
“It gave me a chemical burn because I was soaking it in gauze every single day, twice a day, and putting it inside the hole where the wound was. That was extremely traumatic.
“I stopped taking care of myself as much and I stopped hanging out with friends or anyone. I didn’t want anyone to see me. Mentally I was a prisoner in my home.”
The former bartender claims that none of the surgeons at the consultations revealed the true extent of the risks.
While unsure of the cause, Erica believes it might be because she had the liposuction and tummy tuck during the same surgery.
Now waiting to have further scar revision, Erica is urging people to ‘think twice’ before having plastic surgery.
We see these celebrities jet off for a weekend and come back with new faces and bodies with no issues, it’s so normalised now. But no surgery is safe, it doesn’t matter what it is.
Erica
Erica said: “There was no reason for me to ever think this would happen. It was a board-certified, highly-rated and highly recommended surgeon.
“What made this so traumatic is I was at a very low risk.
“I would see the pictures of necrosis but it was always on people who were unhealthy, had poor blood circulation, diabetic, and were overweight – I had none of these problems.
“What caused it could be a couple of different combinations of things – it could be the blood loss, it could be with the lipo, that I was under too long or that I bled too much.”
She now wants to spread awareness about her experience and urge others to ‘think twice’ before getting plastic surgery.
Erica said: “I think it’s so easy for us to look at plastic surgery and think it’s so routine and safe.
“We see these celebrities jet off for a weekend and come back with new faces and bodies with no issues, it’s so normalised now.
“But no surgery is safe, it doesn’t matter what it is. Anytime you are put under anaesthesia and cut open you are at a risk. Knowing what I know now I would never have gotten it done.
“I want people to feel good in their bodies. I would ever take that away or shame anyone for getting surgery but what I would like is to stop and think twice, think thrice.
“I’d say measure the cost. Tummy tuck surgery doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to. There’s other things that can go wrong that can make your body look deformed afterwards.”
What are the risks of getting surgery abroad?
IT'S important to do your research if you're thinking about having cosmetic surgery abroad.
It can cost less than in the UK, but you need to weigh up potential savings against the potential risks.
Safety standards in different countries may not be as high.
No surgery is risk-free. Complications can happen after surgery in the UK or abroad.
If you have complications after an operation in the UK, the surgeon is responsible for providing follow-up treatment.
Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or they may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK.
Also, they may not have a healthcare professional in the UK you can visit if you have any problems.
Source: NHS