Doctor Warns Penis Fillers Carry Serious Risks After Ubiribo’s Death
Aesthetic medicine and dermatology physician, Dr Mobola Savage, has warned that non-surgical penis enlargement procedures involving injectable fillers are not risk-free, following the death of Nigerian-British businessman and social media influencer, Igho Ubiribo. Savage, reacting to the case, said penile augmentation using hyaluronic acid filler is an invasive medical procedure involving highly vascular anatomy and is primarily intended to increase girth rather than actual penis length. She also raised concerns about the reported 40ml of filler administered in a single treatment, stressing that larger volumes do not necessarily produce better results. According to her, treatment should be tailored to a patient’s anatomy, tissue capacity, desired outcome, product characteristics and clinical judgement, with further augmentation considered progressively where appropriate. Savage also cautioned that some hyaluronic acid fillers contain lidocaine, meaning high-volume procedures can increase a patient’s overall exposure to the local anaesthetic. However, she stressed that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that lidocaine toxicity contributed to Ubiribo’s death.
Ubiribo, 43, reportedly travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, where he underwent the procedure before returning to their hotel. He later complained of chest pain during a massage and reportedly collapsed twice before being taken to Sukhumvit Hospital. Evidence presented at an inquest indicated that doctors suspected a pulmonary embolism, but Ubiribo lost consciousness before a recommended CT scan could be completed. He was transferred to intensive care, where medical staff reportedly performed CPR for more than 100 minutes before he died in the early hours of March 6. A subsequent UK postmortem examination reportedly found material in his lungs consistent with the hyaluronic acid used in the filler, while pathologist John du Parcq told the inquest that the findings were consistent with a pulmonary embolism. Savage warned that medical tourism could create pressure to complete extensive treatments in a single visit, but said convenience and patient demand should never override clinical judgement. She stressed that patient selection, injection technique, product choice, appropriate volume and the ability to recognise and manage complications are all critical, adding that “more is not always better” and “faster is not always safer.”
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