'I nearly died': Woman's BBL nightmare fuels push for cosmetic surgery crackdown
A push for stricter rules on cosmetic procedures has gained urgency after a woman nearly died from a botched Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). Bonnie-Louise Cooper, also known as 'mr cooper', suffered severe complications following her treatment by an unqualified practitioner. Now, MPs and campaigners are demanding immediate action to prevent further harm.
In 2021, Cooper underwent a BBL procedure performed by Rick Sawyer, a man with no medical qualifications. Known for his links to celebrity Katie Price—who nicknamed him 'Del Boy'—Sawyer was later banned from practising cosmetic surgery. Yet it took nearly two years for authorities to stop him, despite Cooper's life-threatening injuries.
The ordeal left Cooper with lasting trauma, including PTSD. She has since become a vocal advocate for tighter regulations in the industry. Her case exposed a wider problem: high-risk procedures like BBLs are often carried out in unsafe settings by unqualified individuals.
A recent report by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) highlighted these dangers. It called for a licensing system to govern non-surgical cosmetic treatments. MPs have gone further, urging the government to ban BBLs outright after multiple fatal incidents. Their proposal would restrict such procedures to trained healthcare professionals only.
The government now faces pressure to act on the WEC's recommendations. If implemented, the new rules would require all practitioners to hold proper qualifications before performing cosmetic procedures. For Cooper and others affected, the changes could help prevent future tragedies in an industry long criticised for its lack of oversight.
