The tragedy of the late Han Hye-kyung, known as 'Fan Lady', due to illegal plastic surgery has been reexamined.
On the 8th, SBS's 'The Story of That Day' ('Kkokkomu') reexamined the unfortunate story surrounding the illegal procedures of Han Hye-kyung, known as 'Fan Lady'. The face of Han, revealed through SBS's 'Moment of Capture: This is What Happens in the World' in 2004, was shocking. Viewers could not hide their sorrow at her swollen and sagging face due to illegal procedures. At that time, Han confessed, "I don't look in the mirror. When I look in the mirror, I feel too miserable."
However, the past appearance of Han revealed on 'Kkokkomu' was incredibly beautiful. How did she end up like this?
Han, who dreamed of becoming a singer, moved to Japan after graduating high school and worked as an unknown singer. However, at some point, she lost her confidence and decided to undergo plastic surgery, receiving illegal procedures at home due to their low cost in the 1980s. As the number of procedures increased, she became addicted to plastic surgery, and when she could no longer afford the costs, she began injecting herself.
The substances Han injected into her face were paraffin oil, industrial silicone, and soybean oil, which were used in illegal procedures at the time. Due to the side effects, her face swelled up like a balloon and became abnormally large.
Moreover, as a side effect, Han suffered from schizophrenia, experiencing auditory hallucinations and delusions. She revealed in a past broadcast, "I heard someone saying, 'Put in soybean oil, soybean oil, soybean oil.'"
After her story was revealed through 'This is What Happens in the World', Han was able to receive proper plastic surgery at a hospital. Over 2 years and 9 months, she underwent 15 surgeries, and the weight of the foreign substances removed from her face was 4 kg. Although she struggled to return to her daily life and stood on stage again, she passed away at the age of 57 in 2018.
Recently, as police began investigating the controversy surrounding broadcaster Park Na-rae's so-called 'Injection Aunt' illegal medical practices, the tragedy of 'Fan Lady' Han once again raises awareness about illegal procedures.
Illegal Plastic Surgery Side Effects
Illegal plastic procedures carry a much higher risk of side effects than regular plastic surgery, and once they occur, complete recovery is often difficult. Side effects can include inflammation, infection, foreign body granulomas, lumps, scarring, pigmentation, and damage to blood vessels and nerves.
Typical side effects include redness and swelling at the injection site, heat, pain, and pus, and in severe cases, skin necrosis (the phenomenon of flesh rotting) can occur. As in the case of the Fan Lady, foreign body granulomas and lumps can develop. Injecting unverified fillers, collagen, or oils can cause the body to surround the foreign substances, creating hard lumps (granulomas) and deforming the shape of the face.
A lack of anatomical knowledge among non-professionals, excessive injections, and incorrect placement can lead to asymmetry or abnormal protrusions in the nose, chin, and cheeks. Inadequate disinfection and surgical techniques can leave thick scars (keloids, hypertrophic scars), and color abnormalities can occur from tattoos or semi-permanent makeup, causing colors to bleed or stain. If fillers or fat are injected too close to or inside blood vessels, it can block blood supply, leading to skin necrosis, vision impairment (blindness), sensory loss, and paralysis.
Side effects can also appear after some time has passed. Illegal collagen and foreign substances may appear fine immediately after the procedure, but swelling, lumps, pain, skin discoloration, and loss of elasticity can gradually appear around five years later. Foreign substances that have spread under the skin are almost impossible to remove completely through surgery, and often only partial removal and corrective surgery aimed at minimizing side effects are possible. Foreign substances can hinder blood circulation and cause tissue degeneration, accelerating skin sagging and loss of elasticity.
Why is Illegal Plastic Surgery More Dangerous?
Illegal plastic surgery is often performed by non-medical personnel in places like beauty salons, skin care centers, and private homes, lacking sterilization and emergency response systems. Cheap collagen, silicone, oils, and industrial fillers that are not approved for medical use are often used, leading to a very high risk of inflammation and granulomas. Post-operative care is also impossible. Even if side effects occur, appropriate antibiotics, surgery, and hospitalization cannot be provided immediately, often worsening the condition.
Paraffin Oil, Industrial Silicone, Soybean Oil, and Illegal Procedures
The 'Fan Lady' directly injected paraffin oil, industrial silicone, and soybean oil into her face. The plastic surgeon who handled her surgery at the time expressed amazement, saying, "It's a miracle that she didn't hit a blood vessel. If she had, she would have died immediately."
Paraffin oil, industrial silicone, and soybean oil are substances that are not suitable for the human body, causing irreversible side effects such as inflammation, deformation, and necrosis after injection.
Paraffin oil, a raw material for candles, was used in illegal nose and lip injections due to its low cost, but over time, the tissue hardens, swells, and the shape of the face deforms. It can cause inflammation, ulcers, necrosis, skin erosion, and even cancer risk, and complete removal is difficult.
Industrial silicone, disguised as a wrinkle filler, causes foreign body sensation, hardness, skin inflammation, necrosis, pain, expression changes, and adhesions when injected into the skin, often leading to lifelong regret due to immune reactions. The injection of silicone itself is illegal in Korea, and serious complications can arise from blood vessel blockage and infections.
Injecting soybean oil causes the face to swell abnormally, leading to inflammation, granulomas, skin discoloration, and schizophrenia-like mental symptoms, threatening lives as seen in the case of the 'Fan Lady'. The spread of foreign substances can lead to tissue necrosis and blood vessel damage, and even after removal surgery, scars, nerve paralysis, and expression abnormalities may remain.
These substances do not decompose in the body and are subject to immune attacks, leading to delayed side effects that appear more than five years later, making complete removal impossible and often only partial surgery feasible.
If You Have Already Received the Procedure
If you experience any abnormal symptoms, you should immediately consult a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. If you experience sudden severe pain, swelling, redness, fever, or if your skin turns blue or black, or if blisters or ulcers develop, or if you notice hard lumps, uneven areas, enlarging masses, blurred vision, decreased vision, or severe headaches, seek medical attention immediately. At the hospital, be honest about where, when, and what you received, and report any changes in symptoms from immediately after the procedure to the present, as this will help with treatment.
