Edinburgh model scarred after 'tourism' cosmetic surgery warns of the dangers

Lauren Dinse warns other women about cosmetic surgery that left her scarred picture: JPI Media | jpimedia

A Scottish model who had cut-price cosmetic surgery in Turkey has warned other women not to repeat her mistake after she was left in agony and scarred.

Lauren Dinse, 31, from Duddingston flew to Istanbul in June for treatment at the celebrity endorsed Comfort Zone clinic. The mother-of-two paid £3,000 for accommodation, food and procedures — including laser liposuction on her stomach.

But within days, Ms Dinse - who previously hit the headlines when she was convicted of glassing her former partner, ex-footballer Josh Walker - started experiencing pain in her abdomen. She has since suffered hair loss and has a scar on her stomach.

She told the Sunday Times: “Going to Turkey was a big mistake, but at the time it seemed like a great idea and the cost was affordable.

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“I was stupid enough to do it and I can’t turn back time but I hope that I can prevent someone else making the same mistake by speaking out.”

Her ordeal highlights concerns about cosmetic surgery ‘tourism’ where patients travel abroad and pay a fraction of the price charged for the same or similar procedures in the UK.

In 2018, two British women died after having a procedure known as a Brazilian butt lift, which involves transferring fat from the stomach to the hips and buttocks. Blood poisoning caused by fat leaching into the body was a factor in both deaths.

Last November, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard she had suffered low self esteem after experiencing emotional and physical abuse during a relationship with ex-Aberdeen and Edinburgh City player Walker.

Ms Dinse flew to Turkey after ignoring advice from Dan Widdowson, a plastic surgeon with Edinburgh-based Cosmedicare, that she did not need cosmetic procedures.

She booked with Comfort Zone after reading that it had been endorsed by former glamour models Katie Price and Danielle Lloyd, but now needs corrective surgery.

Issuing a caution to other young women, Ms Dinse said she had felt under pressure from advertising and social media to pursue a “perfect body”.

Her warning was backed by Lorna Latham, an entrepreneur from Glasgow, who flew to Turkey in 2017 for cosmetic surgery at a different clinic and was also left in pain.

“I consider myself a strong individual but I hit rock bottom and was so depressed I couldn’t get out of bed,” said Latham.

“I don’t think women realise the psychological impact when cosmetic surgery goes wrong. Only now, three years later, am I strong enough to be able to talk about it.”