Prohibition on the use of PMMA for aesthetic purposes comes into effect this Tuesday (2)

The resolution published by the CFM (Federal Council of Medicine) that prohibits the use of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) in aesthetic procedures comes into effect this Tuesday (2). The substance is often used as a filler and poses major health risks.

The note includes an exception: the use for the treatment of lipodystrophy in patients with HIV/AIDS, as long as it is carried out in accordance with SUS (Unified Health System) standards.

The definition came after several cases of deaths, especially among women who underwent applications for aesthetic purposes. In 2024, influencer Aline Ferreira died after undergoing a procedure in which she applied PMMA to her buttocks, with the aim of increasing volume in the region. She was hospitalized for nine days due to complications, but did not survive.

The resolution will be made official in the DOU (Official Gazette of the Union) this Tuesday, and includes the penalty for professionals who use the substance. Doctors who apply PMMA to patients may be sentenced to 6 months to 2 years in prison if they fail to comply with the measure and be convicted of legally practicing medicine.

The ban on the use of the substance by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) was commented on at a press conference in which CNN Brasil was present.

Graziela Bonin, federal advisor to CFM, warned about the risks of injecting PMMA into the body, considering its "mutilating" effects on the body.

From allergic reactions to granulomas, the introduction of the substance into muscles can cause a strong inflammatory reaction due to its permanent presence in the tissues. Furthermore, patients can develop air embolism and even die.

*With information from Paulo Vito and Felipe Carvalho, from CNN Brasil

Surgeon warns about ethical and physical limits in aesthetic procedures

Source: CNN