Post by Bénédicte Desrus

New reportage with journalist Emmanuelle Steels. #EnfermedadPorModelantes María Teresa Terrones y Alejos is an 83 year old widow and mother of three who lives in Mexico City. At 40, she went with three friends to an alleged doctor who injected "vitamin oil" into her face. She said it was very inexpensive. Forty years later she experienced a strong inflammatory reaction on her face that caused her stress and anxiety for several months. “My face just started to swell. Then everyday just a little more until I looked like a monster. I was another person,” she said. Now, with cortisone-based treatment, the inflammation has greatly reduced. María Teresa is now overcoming the trauma with the support of her children. #HumanAdjuvantDisease, is a pathology caused by the #injection of #ForeignSubstances for #cosmetic purposes, and represents a serious health problem. Seeking simple, fast, cheap, painless and what some thought was a safe alternative to plastic surgery, the application of non-authorized #ModelingSubstances by untrained personnel has become a frequent practice. Nevertheless, the injections could lead - often several years after receiving them - to serious complications, even death. In Mexico, #HAD is an existent problem. Photographs by © Bénédicte Desrus