Aspiring model was left with horrific drug-resistant flesh-eating infection that caused her ‘skin to burst open’ after course of fat-dissolving injections she saw advertised online

An aspiring bikini model was left to battle a rare flesh-eating infection after treating herself to a series of fat-dissolving injections as an early birthday present.

Bea Amma, 23, from Miami, saw her “skin splitting open” and said it felt like “fire was spreading through her body” after having the cosmetic procedure at an unlicensed medical spa in California.

Doctors said she had contracted a drug-resistant mycobacterium that spread through contaminated vials at the clinic.

Bea signed up for the injections after the medical spa contacted her on Instagram and promoted what they called an “amazing compound” of B12 and deoxycholic acid.

But she is now in debt and has racked up thousands of dollars in medical bills in an attempt to combat the horrific infection.

“I first tried B12 shots when I started as a sales associate, and they made me feel great. Maybe it was a placebo, maybe it was real. I’m not entirely sure, Bea remembered.

‘But I had just moved to Los Angeles, was working non-stop and thought an energy boost might help. Then this medical spa took to Instagram and promoted what they called an “amazing compound” of B12 and deoxycholic acid.

‘At the time I was very focused on making it as a fitness and bikini model, so my appearance meant everything.’

Bea continued, “The medical spa’s Instagram was full of impressive before-and-after photos. Everything looked so legit.”

‘They had a nice setup, a clean room and certificates on the wall (which I later discovered were fake). They sent me a DM and it seemed like a win-win situation. I could vlog the process for my followers, get referral credits, and feel better about myself at the same time.”

Bea made an appointment and went in for the injections, but less than a day later she started experiencing terrible side effects.

‘Within 24 hours I developed extreme chills, fever and intense brain fog. I thought maybe my immune system was just not good. “I didn’t think it was anything serious at first,” she said.

The next evening she went on a date but had to leave early because she felt ill.

‘On the ride home I was shaking, like I was about to pass out. I felt very strange.

‘Luckily I got back to my studio, wrapped myself in blankets, turned up the heat and took ibuprofen to try to bring the fever down.’

As the fever subsided, the injection sites began to swell, harden, and burn.

‘It felt like fire was spreading through my body. My skin thinned and then cracked, hour after hour,” she said.

‘I was in so much pain that I went to the emergency room, but the doctors were stunned. They said to me, “Well, it’s not necrosis. You’re going to have to see a dermatologist.” In the meantime, my skin literally burst open.’

Bea then contacted the medical spa but was ignored for days. When they finally responded, she said they were hostile.

‘They swore at me, called me a ‘pain in their a**’ and said, ‘Good luck suing us. It’s just an allergic reaction, not our fault.”

The spa owner even offered her $800 back if she signed a document promising not to sue, Bea claimed.

“I couldn’t believe the nerve,” the 23-year-old said.

Desperate for answers, Bea met with two different dermatologists. She was prescribed antibiotics and steroids, but nothing helped. She became bedridden and could barely move.

“I was new to LA, had no family in the area, and a coworker who had only known me for a month took me in. She said, ‘You’re coming to live with me and my family because I’m afraid you’ll leave. to die alone.”

‘She did everything for me. She cooked me meals, helped me shower and helped me get dressed.

‘My arms were completely open wounds, my back was torn and my skin on my stomach started reacting the same way.’

One night the situation got so bad that she was rushed to hospital at 3am, with Bea saying she didn’t think she would survive the night.

She underwent an IV antibiotic regimen and spent four months in the hospital, but her skin continued to break open.

‘My joints were so inflamed that I couldn’t move my fingers, bend my knees or even lift my arms. I was completely dependent on the nurses. The isolation was overwhelming.

‘One morning I found an art tableware on my table. I still don’t know who left it, but that art set saved me. It gave me a way to channel my pain into something I could control,” she recalled.

After multiple tests, doctors determined that the infection had spread due to contaminated vials.

‘There was so much infection in my body that it couldn’t have just come from the injection materials. The spread from every location showed that the bottles must have been contaminated,” Bea explained.

Her treatment costs were enormous, racking up millions in medical bills, with running costs of $17,000 (£13,400) a week – far more than what her insurance could cover.

‘My outpatient costs alone are over $70,000 (£55,000). I receive reminders and invoices every week, but I can no longer view the totals. “I pay the minimum just to avoid collections, but that’s all I can do,” she added.

Bea also faced setbacks when she tried to file a lawsuit against the spa for damages.

“I tried to file a lawsuit, but when lawyers found out the spa had no insurance, they dropped the case and said there was no money to recover,” she said.

Without support from legal or medical authorities, Bea turned to social media to share her story, hoping to raise awareness and warn others of the lack of regulation in the cosmetic industry.

“A friend encouraged me to post my story on TikTok even though I was terrified of judgement. But the response was incredible. People tell me that seeing my story has inspired them to respect their bodies more, to take control of their own health,” said Bea, who has 68.6 thousand followers.

‘What happened to me should not happen to anyone. These places promise quick solutions, but operate without proper regulation. The spa I went to didn’t have a doctor on site, but they convinced me via social media and sold me on my visit. I trusted them, but they were not medical professionals and there were no consequences.

‘It’s scary to think that people are receiving counterfeit products or being treated by unqualified staff. If there is no doctor present, walk away. But even then, how do you know they’re legit? These companies fool people every day, and it has to stop.”