HOUSTON – A lip injection procedure went wrong for a Houston woman after she spotted a deal on TikTok offering free services with the filler.
The victim, who asked not to be identified and spoke in Spanish, went to ABS Aesthetic off of Hillcroft St. Monday for an appointment to get lip filler.
Houston Police arrested her injector, Alegna Delgado James, 31, on Monday evening. She has been charged with practicing medicine without a license or permit causing harm.
According to prosecutors, Delgado James admitted to injecting unknown substances and taking money for services she couldn’t lawfully provide. While she doesn’t need to be certified or licensed, prosecutors say injections must only be done when supervised by a doctor or mid-level practitioner like a physician’s assistant. That way, health experts can evaluate if a patient/customer is medically eligible for the injection.
The 31-year-old is out on bond and made her court appearance Wednesday, where prosecutors said a judge learned Delgado James performed the injection without a doctor present and a medical professional didn’t see the patient beforehand. It also appears the business is operating without a medical director (or actual doctor) as required by law.
The patient told KPRC 2 her entire decision to go there was based on the business’ social media accounts, boasting thousands of followers, full of photos, videos, and comments.
When the patient went in for her procedure, Delgado James presented her with a box of filler, which shows that it’s made in Korea. She paid $499 for the enhancements, but a quick online search of the product reveals that it retails for as low as $29.95. Inside the business, police said they also found fake Botox.
The patient said Delgado James told her the boss would love the results on her lips, which had never been injected before. The patient said she has done cosmetic procedures in the past without issue.
No one answered the locked doors at the business on Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s kind of a wild, wild west in this world,” Dr. Richard LeConey, owner of Houston’s Antiage Institute, said.
The market for cosmetic procedures is growing, he said, but he hears about bad procedures sometimes influenced by social media almost every week.
“It’s going to grow like crazy, but at the same time, it means there’s going to be a lot of people taken advantage of,” Dr. LeConey said, adding that some fake products can potentially cause irreversible damage.
His advice to patients:
- Research provider and try to only see a doctor or registered nurse
- Call for help immediately after any adverse effects of a procedure
- Inspect basics in a clinic, like sterilization of items and product packaging
He pointed out packaging on fillers his office uses, which reference federal law, have seals with holograms, and clearly printed expiration dates.
“So, the seal right here and the expiration date is really important?” KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry asked.
“Absolutely. If you tear this open, you know, it’s packaged in a way, you’ve got their serial numbers and batch numbers,” Dr. LeConey said.
While the patient is still waiting to see how her new lips may react, she said she’d never go through a painful experience like this again.
Houston Police are looking for any additional victims to come forward by calling the Major Offenders Division at 713-308-3100.