A woman who developed hyperpigmentation after undergoing a cosmetic treatment has obtained damages from the beauty clinic where the treatment was performed.
The woman had gone to the clinic for a chemical peel. Her face was not properly washed before the chemical peel was given, and she was not warned about possible side-effects.
The chemical peel began to peel off just five hours after the treatment, although it was meant to stay on for 12 hours. When she contacted the clinic, she was told that there was no need to be concerned and was advised to wash the chemical peel off after the 12 hours had elapsed. When she did so, the skin on her face was red and irritated.
Her skin began to peel and scab over the following weeks. She contacted the clinic a number of times and was told that nothing was wrong. She was still concerned and consulted a skin specialist, who identified that she was suffering from hyperpigmentation.
She brought a claim against the clinic, which denied liability and said that she had not been given a chemical peel but another treatment which could not have caused her symptoms. Medical evidence was therefore obtained confirming her condition and showing that it had been caused by a chemical peel.
After court proceedings were issued, the clinic offered to settle her claim for £5,500. That offer was rejected as it would not have fully compensated her for the effect of her injuries. A settlement of £8,250 was subsequently agreed.
