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Woman left fighting for her life after 'getting filler injections from practitioner she found on Facebook'

By Linda Ikeji 9 November 2026, 10:33 am

A woman has revealed how she was left fighting for her life after undergoing cosmetic filler injections administered by a practitioner she found on Facebook.

Helena Collard, 59, from Cardiff, decided to improve her appearance after losing weight, which left her feeling “old and wrinkly”.

She later came across a practitioner based in Newport while browsing Facebook and booked an appointment for the following day to have dermal fillers injected into her face.

A few days after receiving the injections at the practitioner's home, the mother's face started swelling, and eating or drinking became unbearably painful.

Mrs Collard was subsequently rushed to the accident and emergency department, where doctors diagnosed her with facial cellulitis and a potentially life-threatening infection.

It was gathered that medical staff were forced to make incisions across all the areas where the injections had been administered, leaving her with permanent scars.

She has now decided to share her ordeal in the hope of warning other women about the potential dangers of cosmetic fillers and encouraging them to think carefully before undergoing such procedures.

'There was no paperwork, but I'd never had this done, so I didn't realise there are consultations that need to be in place. I do feel silly; at my age I should know better,' she told ITV's This Morning.

'I remember saying to my daughter, people go out after filler - how the hell can I go out? I couldn't even leave the house. The pain and the swelling got worse, I was struggling to eat and drink.

'I ended up having emergency surgery. So rather than dissolving it [...] they cut every area that was injected because it was full of infection.'

Gwent Police confirmed a 45-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault. He has been released on police bail.

Skin health specialist Dr Amiee Vyas warned of the dangers of unregulated cosmetic procedures.

'While these treatments do enhance beauty, they are not beauty treatments; they are medical treatments, these are needles going in. You need to have an understanding of anatomy, and of cleanliness,' she said.