Woman, 27, dies during 10th laser treatment for birthmark and spot removal

The woman died after her 10th laser treatment procedure. (Representational)

A 27-year-old woman in China died just 10 days after undergoing a series of laser treatments for the removal of spots and birthmarks.

The woman, identified by her surname Liu, was from Tianjin, a northern city in China. Liu had been struggling with neurofibromatosis and cafe-au-lait spots, a condition that left her with multiple dark and large spots on her body. She sought treatment for these spots, opting for laser procedures to remove them. Liu had undergone nine such treatments at Tianjin’s Jinmen Dermatology Hospital, a private clinic, after spending over 100,000 yuan (roughly Rs 11,63,500) on the procedures, South China Morning Post reported.

However, Liu's condition worsened following the treatments. According to her mother, Liu had previously suspended the treatment due to severe pain caused by an uneven application of anaesthetic. On October 21, during her 10th procedure, Liu reportedly felt dizzy after the anaesthetic cream was applied.

Doctors attempted to address the situation by removing the cream, but Liu went into shock, suffering convulsions and eventually cardiac arrest. She was rushed to another hospital but died 10 days later.

Emergency doctors confirmed that Liu’s cause of death was complications arising from excessive intracranial pressure. A forensic autopsy has been ordered, with results pending. Liu's husband has expressed concerns that the excessive amount of anaesthetic administered may have caused an allergic reaction, contributing to her tragic death.

In response, staff at Jinmen Dermatology Hospital defended their actions, stating that the anaesthetic cream was applied according to standard procedures and that allergy tests were available upon request. Zhang, the hospital's director, expressed sorrow over Liu's death and vowed to take full responsibility if the hospital was found to be at fault, South China Morning Post reported.

Reports show that a staggering 88% of the 13,000 cosmetic clinics in China do not comply with legal regulations. This follows a series of incidents in recent years, including the death of a 43-year-old woman during a liposuction procedure in January of the previous year and the case of a woman who died in December 2020 after undergoing six cosmetic surgeries within 24 hours.