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A British student who died after jetting to America for an illegal “butt enhancement” operation thought having a shapelier backside would make her a hip-hop star.
Claudia Aderotimi (20) believed a “bigger booty” would help in her quest to appear in more music videos, her distraught friends have claimed.
One even revealed the aspiring dancer — stage name Carmella London — was dropped from one shoot because directors discovered she had been wearing padded trousers to help enlarge her bottom.
Talent scout Tee Ali, who met the university student when she filmed a video, told The Sun: “She was a dancer and choreographer.
“The problem was she didn’t have no butt, and she wanted a butt. She went to audition for one video shoot wearing fake booty pants and she got all the attention. But when they found out it was fake she didn’t get asked back.”
He described her as “victim” of social pressure to be perfect and thought a larger bottom would make her famous.
The Thames Valley University student developed chest pains and struggled for breath 12 hours after she had the illegal silicone injections at a budget hotel. She was taken to hospital but could not be saved.
A preliminary examination found the silicone filler had leaked into her bloodstream, leading to heart failure.
American detectives are investigating whether she was treated with cheap “industrial” silicone, normally used as a sealant, rather than medical-grade material used in breast implant surgery.
It was not the first time Miss Aderotimi had the procedure. She is believed to have been treated in November and the latest injection on Monday may have been a “top-up” procedure.
Accompanied by three friends, she travelled from London to Philadelphia for the treatment, thought to have been an early present to herself for her 21st birthday, which was due later this month. But a day later she was dead.
Buttock enhancement surgery is becoming popular in the US, among women who aspire to the shapely curves of Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and singer Nicki Minaj.
Minaj has become almost as famous for her posterior as for her voice, and rumours have spread across the web that the Massive Attack singer underwent surgery or uses pads to boost her bum, especially on urban gossip sites such as Bossip and mediatakeout.com.
She, however denies having had surgery.
The illusion of a larger backside has become increasingly more fashionable among young women since the rise of the “Hip Hop Honey” phenomenon.
A bigger behind has become almost a prerequisite for any aspiring dancer wanting to make it on the music video scene.
But the hip hop industry has come under fire for objectifying women in music videos where dancers — or Hip Hop Honeys — chasing fame can often leave themselves open to financial and sexual exploitation.
And in their desperation to beat off the competition, many resort to surgery to get ahead.
“Top-up” procedures are only legal when the silicone gel is contained and sealed within an implant. But illegal injections of the material are also widely available from unlicensed back-room medics.
Last night one expert said having a direct injection of silicone gel — long outlawed in the US and Britain, even for breast surgery — is “like playing Russian roulette”.
One of Miss Aderotimi’s friends is said to have had the same procedure but survived.
Experts warned the silicone could still prove lethal for her in the future if not removed.
Police have searched the homes of the two women “doctors” who injected the silicone and are investigating whether they are part of an organised gang who lure the unwary over the internet.
Miss Aderotimi and her friends flew out to the US on Saturday. She had the buttock injections on Monday — thought to have cost around £1 300 — while her friend had the same procedure along with a hip enhancement treatment.
The “doctor” who injected the silicone left soon after and was not there when Miss Aderotimi began complaining of chest pains.
Paramedics were called to the hotel and she was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald hospital where she died 90 minutes after being admitted on Tuesday.
Miss Aderotimi was born in London of Nigerian parents.
Dr Rajiv Grover, president-elect of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said: “Buttock augmentation isn’t a very commonly done procedure here, which is probably why these girls have resorted to going abroad.
“If correctly done, it involves implanting solid silicone implants into the buttock just like breast implants. The correct procedure would be done in a fully equipped, sterile surgical theatre in a hospital and the patient would be fully anaesthetised.”
He said it appeared that Miss Aderotimi had liquid silicone injected “which is not a procedure that should ever be done”.
“It seems she got away with it the first time around, and it’s true that you can get away with it sometimes. But it is like playing Russian roulette. Each time you have it done, you’re risking your life.” — Daily Mail.