A woman in China dies after a series of laser treatments to remove spots on her skin

A 27-year-old woman has died after undergoing a series of cosmetic procedures to remove freckles at a hospital in Tianjin, China.

The woman, known only as Ms. Liu, died on October 31, 10 days after undergoing her 10th laser treatment at Jinmen Dermatology Hospital, Chinese media reported. Apparently, her previous session was in May 2023.

After a doctor applied a numbing cream to her on October 21, Liu experienced dizziness and soon fell into a coma. She then went into shock and had a cardiac arrest.

Ms. Liu was then transferred to the intensive care unit of Tianjin Medical University for emergency treatment.

The medical university concluded that Ms. Liu’s death was caused by an encephalocele, which occurs when high pressure in the skull causes brain tissue to slide out, the Jinan Times newspaper reported.

A nurse at Jinmen Dermatology Hospital told Chinese media Modern Express that Ms. Liu suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disease that can cause light brown, flat spots on the skin. Since 2020, he has been undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

Ms. Liu’s husband said his wife had numerous moles on her body, some of which were dark and large. She spent more than 100,000 yuan (S$18,600) on treatment to remove them.

He said he suspected the cause of her death was anesthetic abuse.

“We can’t let her go without an explanation. We must find the cause of her death and hope that our misfortune will be a warning to others,” he said in Mandarin.

According to Ms. Liu’s mother, who accompanied her to the therapy sessions, her daughter stopped the sessions several times due to the unbearable pain.

The family has sent her body for an autopsy and health authorities are investigating the incident.

The hospital’s deputy director expressed regret over Ms. Liu’s death and said the hospital would be held responsible if it was proven to be at fault.

If doctors in China are found guilty of causing a patient’s death through negligence, they can be sentenced to up to three years in prison and a fine.