Pattaya filler disaster leaves woman with swollen face for 2 years
A woman came forward yesterday, January 6, to warn the public after undergoing a filler injection at a well-known clinic in the Pattaya area, which allegedly left her face swollen and misshapen for almost two years.
The woman, identified as 37 year old A, urged those considering cosmetic procedures to carefully verify the credentials of the clinics and avoid being swayed by promotional offers. She said her condition has improved only recently, and her face has not yet fully returned to normal.
A said the incident began on August 17, 2023, when she sought treatment for facial melasma. After searching on Facebook, she contacted a clinic with a branch in Sattahip, close to her home, and made an appointment.
Upon arrival, she initially requested melasma treatment, but one staff member suggested facial filler injections to enhance and reshape her face instead, claiming to be a doctor and offering to perform the procedure personally. The clinic also promoted a package priced at 33,999 baht for one filler session.
Believing the clinic appeared trustworthy, A agreed to the procedure. She paid a total of 40,000 baht and received approximately 29cc of filler injected into her face before returning home.
Around one week later, she began experiencing symptoms, including swelling, facial distortion, and pain. She returned to the clinic and was given medication to reduce swelling, but her condition failed to improve. During a follow-up visit in the second week, clinic staff reassured her and administered another filler injection of approximately 10cc.
Despite continued treatment and repeated visits over more than one year, her symptoms persisted. Khaosod reported that the clinic continued prescribing medication, but her condition showed no improvement.
On July 24, 2025, A sought further examination at Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital, where tests found no evidence of an allergic reaction. This led her to suspect the symptoms were related to the filler injections.
She continued follow-up visits with the original clinic until November 2025, when she was referred to a hospital in Bangkok. After treatment there, the swelling began to subside, and her condition has since significantly improved.
A has filed a police report with Sattahip Police Station and complained to the Medical Council of Thailand. She said the clinic offered some financial compensation, but stressed that her actions were not motivated by money.
She said her main concern is accountability and public safety, adding that the clinic has not accepted responsibility for her condition. She also questioned whether the person who administered the injections was a licensed doctor, noting that the name displayed outside the treatment room did not appear to match the individual who performed the procedure.
In similar news, a Thai doctor faces six months in prison after a cosmetic surgery performed six years ago left a woman in a coma. Another doctor who owns the clinic faces three months behind bars.
