‘Back-alley beautician’ injected mystery mail-order filler into clients without a medical license: FDLE

Woman accused of using mystery facial filler

FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia reports.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida woman was arrested after the FDLE said she reportedly injected people with mystery facial filler.

Mystery mail-order facial filler

The backstory:

The FDLE wrote on social media that its Jacksonville branch arrested the Ukrainian national, who is accused of "importing and injecting" people with "mystery, mail-order facial filler inside her apartment without a medical license."

The FDLE did not identify what kind of facial filler was used but described the woman as a "back-alley beautician."

The arrest came after a joint investigation with other state agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa, according to the FDLE.

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Medical experts weigh-in

What they're saying:

FOX 13 asked local experts not affiliated with this case to weigh in on the "mystery, mail-order facial filler."

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"Could be a couple of different things. People can individually order their own neurotoxins," explained Dr. Cyndi Yag-Howard, owner of Yag-Howard Cosmetic Dermatology in Naples. "They can order that online from other countries. They can also order fillers online from other countries in a sort of do-it-yourself fashion."

Courtesy: FDLE

Experts said anyone interested in getting these procedures should go to a licensed and reputable dermatologist.

"You're getting product that has been purchased from the manufacturer, so you know that it's going to be safe," Yag-Howard said. "It's not going to have any bacteria or other microbes in it that could cause problems."

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Because complications can happen, experts say these procedures should only be done in a professional office where emergency supplies are available.

"Everything is so incredibly complicated beneath what you see on the skin. So, if you don't know what you're doing, you can cause some serious side effects, including blindness, stroke, (or) permanent disability of your muscles," Yag-Howard shared.

Who is the ‘back-alley beautician’?

What we know:

FOX 13’s Jacksonville media partner, Action News Jax, identified the woman as Olena Malashevych.

The 43-year-old woman has been charged with practicing or attempting to practice medicine without a valid medical license.

Courtesy: FDLE

What we don't know:

It is unclear what the mystery filler was made from, how many "patients" the woman treated with the mystery facial filler and if anyone had a reaction to it.

The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia, and a social media post from FDLE.

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