Untrained practitioner performs cheap eyelid surgeries in Manchester, leaving women scarred

In Manchester, a well-dressed group of women were summoned by text to park near a luxury home and wait for transport to a nearby terrace house, where they each paid £850 in cash for a blepharoplasty performed by Luyen Vu, who has no record on any UK medical register. The procedure left many with jagged stitches and permanent disfigurement, as recounted by victims using the aliases Alex and Mary, who report ongoing pain, swelling and difficulty closing their eyes.

Vu was first filmed by Channel 5 last summer operating from a Liverpool flat, prompting health secretary Wes Streeting to promise tighter regulations, yet she has resurfaced in Manchester. Victims say they cannot contact Vu for redress, and a parliamentary committee has urged an immediate ban on high-harm cosmetic work by unregistered providers. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson warned consumers to verify qualifications and avoid unusually cheap treatments.