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espite widespread stories about beauty treatment malpractice, many people lack awareness of safe and legal medical proceedings amid market growth, a beautician association head says.

Jakarta Beautician Association chairwoman Janet Stanzah told reporters at the South Jakarta police headquarters on Wednesday that many of her patients came to her to fix damage from illegal beauty treatments.

'€œThey usually used illegal cosmetics sold online and received silicone injections from unlicensed persons,'€ she said, adding that many people felt ashamed for using such products and did not report their cases. They, instead, sought help from beauticians and plastic surgeons to fix their problems.

Janet said that interest in cosmetic procedures had increased, partly due to images displayed in the media.

'€œPeople are easily lured by instant results through cheap procedures offered by people who claim to be beauticians,'€ she said, adding that thread planting to reduce wrinkles, fillers and botox were currently among the most popular procedures.

'€œPeople need to check the licenses of doctors and clinics before deciding to undergo a cosmetic procedure,'€ she added.

Janet, who ran a beauty clinic in Bekasi, West Java, was invited by the South Jakarta Police to hold a discussion with the police in her capacity as a beautician in regard to a recent case involving a plastic surgeon impostor.

The South Jakarta Police arrested on Monday a woman, identified only by the initials JS, 34, for allegedly performing illegal cosmetic procedures in a restroom at Plaza Semanggi shopping mall in Central Jakarta.

The investigators have questioned five victims and confiscated medical equipment as well as chemical substances from the suspect'€™s rented house in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.

After examining the confiscated evidence, Janet said that the equipment and substances were not up to medical standard.

'€œI can see here that the equipment, such as needles and scissors, are corroded. I even found a bread knife instead of scalpel. The thread used by the suspect was ordinary sewing thread that cannot be absorbed by the human body and could cause infections,'€ she said while showing the equipment in a press conference, adding that the unhygienic equipment resulted in a victim contracting Hepatitis C.

The police said that two out of five victims, who were reported to vary from businesspeople to private employees, were hospitalized after undergoing treatments.

South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Wahyu Hadiningrat said the suspect learned to perform the procedures from the Internet. (prm)