A bride-to-be has been left disfigured after undergoing microneedle treatment for a wedding photoshoot.
Ms. Zhang was left with severe facial and neck swelling, pus-filled bumps, and near blindness after undergoing the skin treatment at a beauty salon she had trusted for two years.
She said she is currently too traumatised to leave home without a mask covering her face.
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The Hong Kong resident was persuaded to undergo the treatment, which uses an electric pen to inject serums deep into the skin, to ensure a “flawless” look for an upcoming wedding photoshoot in Japan.
Her fair and smooth complexion prompted her regular beautician to recommend the microneedle procedure, with assurances it would regenerate skin and allow her to proceed with photos the following Sunday.
The treatment involved using a cordless electric microneedle pen to introduce essences into the skin.
During the session, Ms. Zhang felt stinging and numbness, particularly on her neck, but the therapist insisted there was no issue.
The next morning, her entire face and neck were red, severely swollen, and covered in dense white pustules.
Despite applying moisturisers and masks as advised, the condition worsened dramatically.
Her eyes swelled almost shut, affecting her vision, while pus on her neck caused breathing difficulties.
She described her face as “rotten” and “pitted”, saying she didn’t dare look in the mirror and feared going out without a mask.
A general practitioner diagnosed a severe skin infection and administered steroid and antibiotic injections plus oral medication, with medical costs already reaching around £938 (HKD 10,000).
The Japan photoshoot was cancelled.
Two weeks later, swelling persisted and her skin remained unsuitable for makeup ahead of her year-end wedding.
She sought compensation including lost wages, trip expenses and ongoing medical costs, reportedly claiming around £4,194 (HKD 44,720) in total.
The salon initially dismissed her redness as normal and claimed the whiteheads were due to insufficient moisture.
In negotiations, the beautician’s husband reportedly became rude, accused her of “chasing money” and using emotional blackmail.
He denied responsibility, claiming strict disinfection and new disposable needles were used with no direct evidence linking the procedure to the infection.
Negotiations for compensation have since collapsed after the beauty salon offered around £1,876 (HKD 20,000), a figure the victim rejected as it failed to cover her losses, including her cancelled Japan trip and ongoing medical expenses.
She then reported the matter to police after feeling threatened, as reported by Need To Know.
The salon said they have also filed a report with the police and contacted the Consumer Council, maintaining it had warned of possible redness and respected her decision to proceed.
Ms. Zhang, who is continuing follow-up treatment with uncertain recovery time, expressed feeling betrayed after two years of regular visits to the clinic.
She fears that her skin may never fully recover before her wedding at the end of the year.
The incident highlights potential risks of invasive beauty procedures when performed shortly before major life events.
No final settlement has been reached and investigations continue.
