Abstract
Liquid body contouring by intramuscular injection of site-enhancing oils (SEOs) for
muscle volume enlargement has increasingly become a popular practice in bodybuilding.
Its immediate and long-term health consequences remain ambiguous, and postinjection
complications are sparsely documented in medical literature. We report a series of
patients presenting with postinjection complications upon self-attempted liquid body
contouring through injection of SEOs. Ten patients visited our departments for plastic
and reconstructive surgery for variable local and systemic complications. All patients
gave a history of single or multiple SEO use and presented on average nine years postinjection
with variable complications. Most patients experienced painful nodular indurations
and swellings in the injected target muscles. Two patients showed signs of infection
including erythema, fever, and local inflammatory findings. One patient presented
additionally with a severe form of nonparathyroid hypercalcemia. Four patients ultimately
underwent surgical treatment. The use of SEOs for liquid body contouring is a dangerous
practice and is associated with potentially systemic and life-threatening complications.
Surgical treatment may be the only therapeutic option in advanced cases and should
be performed timely. Guidelines on diagnostic and therapeutic measures are warranted.
Educational measures should be undertaken to raise awareness among athletes and medical
professionals.
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Article info
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Published online: April 05, 2022
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