Woman Left Fighting For Life As Fake Botox Beautician Apologises

The spot complete Kaylie Bailey's near oculus is simply a regular reminder of erstwhile her beauty curen astir killed her.

The 36-year-old mum-of-three from Peterlee, County Durham, had paid Gemma Gray £75 for 3 "Botox" injections, half of what it had costs connected a erstwhile sojourn - nan bargain turned retired to beryllium excessively bully to beryllium true.

Within days, Ms Bailey was struggling to see.

Doctors astatine Sunderland Royal Hospital were initially baffled and diagnosed her pinch ptosis, an oculus information characterised by nan drooping of nan precocious eyelid, and told her to spell location to rest.

The infirmary spot said that erstwhile Ms Bailey was discharged she had been advised to sojourn her GP if her information worsened, and it had been explained to her that her symptoms were astir apt related to nan curen she had had.

It added that botulinum toxicity was a very uncommon information "not seen by nan mostly of doctors during their careers".

But erstwhile her information deteriorated complete nan pursuing days, Ms Bailey rushed backmost to infirmary wherever this clip she was told she had botulism, a uncommon but life-threatening information caused by a bacterium.

By that point, she was 1 of 28 group to person been diagnosed pinch nan toxic poisoning successful north-east England aft having anti-wrinkle jabs.

Ms Bailey stopped breathing and required resuscitation.

She spent 3 days connected nan Intensive Care Unit and was treated pinch an anti-toxin.

"I retrieve lying connected nan furniture reasoning 'I'm dying present and I don't want to'," Ms Bailey says, crying arsenic she recalls her experience.

Upon her release, and being required now to deterioration an oculus spot until her oculus heals, she contacted Mrs Gray and was told by her it was a "nationwide problem pinch nan product".

"When I went successful [to her assignment for nan anti-wrinkle jabs], I felt for illustration she was rushing that overmuch it stung, my eyes were watering that overmuch disconnected it," Ms Bailey says.

"I cannot judge she's moreover dared to do that to people.

"She didn't moreover cognize what was successful it and we're having to unrecorded pinch what she's done to us.

"I've astir died because of it."

Paula Harrison suffered a akin destiny erstwhile she visited Mrs Gray astatine a salon successful Blackhall, Co Durham, successful precocious May.

The 54-year-old mother-of-two had antecedently been to nan practitioner for a lip-filler process but this clip decided to person what she thought was Botox and under-eye filler.

After a fewer days, she excessively became unwell and besides went to Sunderland Royal Hospital wherever she was admitted and spent 4 days, receiving an anti-toxin arsenic portion of her treatment.

The BBC has previously reported really hospitals successful nan region ran retired of their ain stocks of nan anti-toxin and needed to root it from hospitals crossed nan state because of nan unusually precocious number of patients who were presenting pinch symptoms of botulism.

Mrs Harrison said her pharynx was closing up and she was incapable to eat.

"[Mrs Gray is] playing pinch people's lives," Mrs Harrison says. "Luckily, I'm each right, but I could person been dead."

Mrs Gray, formerly known arsenic Gemma Brown, operates her business Belissimo Aesthetics, which is not linked to immoderate different business of nan aforesaid name, from her location adjacent Bishop Auckland and astatine a salon successful Blackhall.

She administered an forbidden type of botulinum toxin, nan constituent utilized successful ineligible Botox-type products, to a number of patients.

There are 7 specified products licensed for usage successful nan UK, including nan marque Botox which is nan astir commonly known.

Mrs Gray utilized Toxpia, a merchandise from South Korea which nan Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says is not licensed for usage successful nan UK and which is an offence to waste aliases supply.

She told clients it was a "new type of Botox" and charged betwixt £75 and £100 for 3 areas of treatment.

The BBC tried to interaction her to inquire her astir her engagement but she said she was not willing successful speaking.

The BBC is naming Mrs Gray aft speaking to a number of her clients.

It is understood different artistic practitioner, who is simply a business subordinate of Mrs Gray's, bought nan Toxpia from her and administered it to her ain clients, galore of whom besides became ill.

Mrs Gray has told clients really sorry she is for what happened and described really bad she feels that they became ill. She told Mrs Harrison that it was a "new curen connected trial" and that she was devastated.

She besides indicated it was a "nationwide" problem pinch nan merchandise and said group everyplace had go sick aft utilizing it.

The BBC has seen nary grounds to support this claim.

Mrs Gray advertised her business arsenic being "fully trained and insured".

An investigation, led by nan UK Health Security Agency, is ongoing.

The agency has issued guidance to anyone who wishes to person this type of treatment, advising them to investigation their practitioner and make judge nan merchandise they are fixed is simply a ineligible medicine and licensed for usage successful nan UK.

The Department of Health and Social Care said people's lives were being put astatine consequence by "inadequately trained operators successful nan cosmetic sector" and nan authorities was looking into caller regulations.

"We impulse anyone considering cosmetic procedures to see nan imaginable wellness impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner," a spokesperson said.