A MODEL claims she was left with a hole in her breast after catching a deadly infection following surgery abroad.
Mum of two Hayley Halcrow feared for her life after collapsing at home and being rushed to hospital with life-threatening sepsis.
The Edinburgh-based pin-up, 30, required an urgent revision op to save her boobs after her dream £10k cosmetic trip to Turkey turned into a nightmare.
She said: “The infection came from the huge hole in my boob. Doctors said it was serious. You can die from sepsis and I was away from my kids.
“I don’t think I’ll go for surgery again, it was traumatic.”
Hayley shelled out a four figure sum on new breast implants, a bum lift and 360 laser liposuction – a procedure that contours the midsection and gives the appearance of toned abs.
She opted for Turkish firm Estetik Global Exclusive after seeing rave reviews from other clients online. The model alleges she’s since learned that women have been promoting the company’s services in return for discounted procedures.
She also claims they discharged her illegally after one day – despite there being a three day minimum stay recommendation.
Hayley, who reckons she’s lost more than £30k due to being unable to make content for her OnlyFans account, said: “You’re meant to be in hospital longer than what I was, they kicked me out after one day and I was back in the next day because I couldn’t even move, I couldn’t get myself to the toilet.
“They re-dressed me so I couldn’t see my results – otherwise I’d have known there was a hole in my boob. I was there another four days and then went back home. The surgery was April 4 and I was back in Scotland by April 9.
“I was going backwards but I brushed it off. I had to go into hospital because I was passing out in the house. It was bad. I collapsed on the floor and thankfully my child was there but I was incapable of doing anything for myself.
“I was soaking with sweat one minute and the next minute I was freezing. I’m not a drama queen about things and knew it was serious.”
Hayley added: “They got me on a drip to get the temperate under control and sent me to St John’s in Livingston.
“The team in Turkey said it was a wound infection but it’s not. The infection came from the huge hole in my boob. Surgeons in the UK said it came from the surgery table, that there’s no way it happened when I came home
“I was in hospital for a week and they sent me home with loads of painkillers and antibiotics because I’m in a lot of pain. I’ve never had any problems in Turkey before when I had previous surgeries and have always known how to look after my wounds.
“It shouldn’t have came down to the NHS having to fix them for me.”
A spokesperson for Estetik Global Exclusive said: “She claims that she had an infection from the surgery, but if she had been infected from the surgery, all of her body would give a massive reaction.
“But she is only suffering from one breast wound healing issue. We make sure we send all our patients away in the best condition, we also asked her to come back to get looked after without even knowing whose fault it was.”
It was recently revealed by foreign minister Leo Docherty that 28 Britons have died since 2019 following elective procedures abroad.
One of the victims was Shannon Bowe, a 28-year-old from Falkirk who passed away in March 2023 after surgery to have a gastric band fitted.
Falkirk MP John McNally said ‘far too many people’ had died and called for health tourism adverts to be banned.
Carole Keenan, 54, had a tummy tuck, Brazilian butt lift and abdominal repair in Turkey in April 2022 to make her stomach more defined.
But as she travelled to a local hospital to receive a fit-to-fly home letter, the grandmother, from Glenrothes, Fife, collapsed and died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
We told yesterday how mum Harley Johns, 24, claims she woke up screaming at the same clinic Hayley was treated in and came home with a collapsed lung.
