Acute Pneumonitis and Alveolar Hemorrhage after Subcutaneous Injection of Liquid Silicone

Lay (non-medical) injection of silicone may lead to serious clinical consequences. Most reports of illicit cosmetic procedures have dealt with failed, lay attempts at breast augmentation. Although these procedures have resulted in severe pneumonitis and alveolar hemorrhage, reports of similar complication after lay attempts at buttock augmentation have been sparse. We describe one of these rare cases and review the literature on clinico-pathologic sequelae of lay attempts at cosmetic procedures using commercially available silicone preparations.