Andressa Urach, runner up in the 2012 ‘Miss Bumbum’ pageant in Brazil, was hospitalized Saturday, due to a botched procedure intended to enhance her buttocks and thighs.
Urach, 27, is said to be in “serious condition” in a hospital in the southern city of Porto Alegre. The Brazilian ingenue developed an infection following a procedure to remove a gel-like substance which was injected into her thighs. The television presenter is presently on a ventilator, and is sedated.
The offending substance, hydrogel, is legal in Brazil in small doses, where it is used to increase the size of women’s thighs and buttocks. Urach reportedly had twice the recommended dose injected into her legs.
A hydrogel is a network of polymer chains which are highly absorbent, and maintain a degree of flexibility similar to natural tissue, due to their significant water content. Urach also opted to be injected with another substance called PMMA, a transparent thermoplastic, which is used as a shatter-resistant alternative to glass.
Urach began feeling the effects of the products in July, and commented, “The hydrogel was not absorbed by my body and started to harm me. Now I’ve discovered that the PMMA is sticking to my muscles and causing the tissue to rot. That’s why I am feeling such strong pains. I’m taking morphine every four hours and antibiotics to alleviate the suffering.”
The possible effects of injecting chemicals into one’s legs:
Brazil miss 'BumBum' runner-up Grave condition after thigh surgery. [PORTUGUESE] http://t.co/yT0Z8BjWaY MT @tkbarnes pic.twitter.com/8IajHr8ZSV
— Brazil Character Lab (@scharlab) December 2, 2014
Urach’s mother posted a message to the model’s Facebook fan page Wednsday- “I am certain because of my faith in God that she is going to be cured. I thank all of you from my heart and ask you to continue praying, because this is going to be just one more battle and I know my baby is going to come out of this victorious.”
Brazil’s Miss BumBum competition is a big deal in that country. Last year two contestants were accused of bribing judges.