Vietnamese woman experiences swollen eyes after double eyelid stitching at home-based beauty salon in Hougang

A 41-year-old Vietnamese woman visited a home-operated beauty salon in Hougang for a double eyelid stitching procedure on Feb 1, 2017.

When her eyes became inflamed and swollen after, the woman went back to the beautician for a refund, but her request was refuted, reports Shin Min Daily News via Lianhe Zaobao.

Enraged, the woman called the police twice.

The victim told reporters that she had come across an advertisement on the beautician while browsing Facebook.

She opted for a double eyelid stitching procedure to make her eyes ‘stand out’, and paid $3,000 for it. 

Said the woman:

“The beautician was from the same hometown as me, and operated a beauty salon in Hougang.

“She promoted her work through Facebook and when I visited the salon, she attended to me wearing a white coat. 

“Various customers also gave her a good review, so I decided to try.”

However, not long after the procedure, she experienced severe swelling on her eyes, and she went back to the salon, demanding a refund:

“After she checked, she said the eyelid had been stitched together with flesh, and she could not remove the thread.

“She brought me to a clinic, where a doctor applied some medicine on me.

“However, when I went to a hospital on Feb 5, I was told that I would have to undergo an operation to remove the thread and that the operation would cost $3,000.”

The victim insisted that the beautician should bear the full cost of the operation as she could not remove the thread herself, and was responsible for the blotched procedure. 

However, her request was refuted.

The victim clarified:

“She (The beautician) wouldn't even fork out a cent.

“Then, she went missing and became uncontactable.

“She even removed me as a friend on Facebook.

“Now the thread is still embedded in my eyelids, and it’s quite obvious.

“Also, my eyes tire easily and I get blurry visions quite often.”

The victim also told reporters that she had reported the case to the police about a month back and lodged another report last Saturday (May 6), but had only received about $300 in compensation.

Said the victim:

“I’m disappointed.

“I don’t have to get the compensation, but I wish to at least know if she was running the salon illegally."

When reporters contacted the 'beautician', she told them that she did not run a salon.

She also claimed that she did not charge the woman for the procedure, and did it for free as she was from the same hometown.

However, the woman instead asked for $1,500 later on. 

She also emphasised that she did not run a business.

Although friends and relatives occasionally visit her flat for simple cosmetic procedures, she does not charge them.

She said:

“I don’t charge them for the procedures, but they will have to bear the basic expenditure of the ingredients and products. 

“I don’t offer complex operations as well.

“I offer services, like the stitching of double eyelids, and Botox injections, but I do not conduct surgeries.

“She (the victim) came to me asking me to help her remove the threads a few days after the procedure.

“She told me that she was afraid that it would be painful if she went to a doctor.

“I accompanied her to a doctor and paid for the medicine, but she suddenly said that she wanted to go back to Vietnam for the thread removal procedure.

“I gave her $350 for the air tickets, but she went to a hospital instead.

“Even then, I paid for her expenses at the hospital.

She added that the woman and her husband had came to her flat to demand for compensation on Saturday (Mar 6) and in order to let the matter rest, she agreed to pay them $300.

However, the woman’s husband asked for a $1,500 instead and she could not comply.