At just 23 years old, fitness influencer Beatriz Amma experienced a nightmare come true. Her journey began when she sought perfection through an $800 treatment regimen in a Los Angeles spa involving a series of vitamin injections three years ago.
Beatriz Amma underwent a series of 60 injections containing vitamins B1 and C and "fast-dissolving" deoxycholic acid distributed across her arms, back, and stomach. However, her life took a sudden and unexpected turn shortly after this treatment.?
She revealed to Kennedy News,?"I developed welts on my skin, and they began appearing in the areas where the injections had been administered... My entire body seemed to be self-destructing."
The diagnosis was grim: Mycobacterium abscessus, a bacterial infection causing painful skin lesions. Medical experts linked it to the incorrect injection of deoxycholic acid.
For Amma, a former swimsuit model with dreams of being a fitness influencer and traveling, her life changed drastically.?
She underwent numerous surgeries to remove infected tissue and required six hours of daily intravenous antibiotic treatments, even three years later.?This story is even more unsettling because everything seemed entirely above board.
The Los Angeles spa that administered Amma's injections projected an image of cleanliness, professionalism, and safety.
"An employee assured me it was produced by a highly reputable company and even displayed the vials to me. I was thrilled," Ms. Amma recalled.
Previous studies have shown a concerning link between improper injections and skin reactions, underscoring the dangers people like Amma unknowingly take on when seeking cosmetic procedures.
The experience turned into a battle for survival, leaving Amma confined to her bed, her body seemingly becoming her enemy.
"I couldn't even dress. I required assistance to use the restroom, shower, and change. I felt like I was deteriorating in bed," she recalled, describing how her body was ravaged.
Beatriz Amma vividly remembers fearing the flesh-eating disease might take her life.
"I prayed to God and said, 'If this is my time, take me.' My body had reached its limit. I distinctly remember being in such excruciating pain that I believed I might not survive that night. I couldn't fight any longer."
"Each time I gaze into the mirror, I'm reminded how much of my life has been lost to this ordeal. I dreamed of becoming a fitness influencer and cherished traveling and wearing bikinis. I had worked tirelessly to attain the body I had," she said.
Her doctors told her, "You'll have this condition indefinitely; relinquish your aspirations of being an influencer, and your skin will constantly alarm people."
Despite her traumatic experience, Ms. Amma is determined not to let it define her. Instead, she dedicates her efforts to promoting body positivity and raising awareness about this disfiguring ailment.
However, her ongoing battle with the consequences of that unfortunate spa visit continues.?
She stated, "I'm now in the third year of this journey, and it's far from concluded. I never would have imagined that something seemingly straightforward could nearly claim my life and leave me still grappling for survival."
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