Brazilian Model Dies After Plastic Surgery; 3 Things to Know About Dermal Fillers

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Brazilian beauty pageant runner-up and model Raquel Santos died after suffering a heart attack after having had dermal fillers injected into her face this week.

Santos, who is from Sao Goncalo, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil had a heart attack after getting fillers injected in her face on Monday. Miss Santos left two sons ages 7 and 13. According to Metro, she was a finalist in the popular Musa de Brasil pageant held in December last year. 

The 28-year-old reportedly used an illegal horse medicine she injected herself with daily to enhance her performance in workouts. 

The horse medicine is called Potenay. It contains mephentermine, a stimulant that is increasingly used by Brazilian bodybuilders to help them gain muscles. The substance is apparently illegal and also raises the blood pressure, according to Daily Mail.

Santos was reportedly getting fillers to correct her "laugh lines." The plastic surgeon responsible for giving her dermal fillers, Wagner Moraes, insisted that the fillers weren't the cause of her death.

"It was a simple procedure which lasted two minutes. The big problem is that she was already suffering health complications, applying Potenay to her body every day, including on the day of the surgery," he said.

Debora Azevedo, a close friend of the now-deceased model, revealed that Santos had an affinity for cosmetic surgery to the point of obsession.

"She was very concerned about her looks. She would go off and have procedures without telling her friends so we wouldn't fight with her," Azevedo shared to the G1 website, as reported by the Mail. "She was terrified of dying during surgery. But she did it anyway, that was how much she was obsessed with looking good. And she did every aesthetic procedure imaginable, from artificial tans to lymphatic drainage."

Azevedo adds that the model was "vain" and was also equally obsessed about working out. Santos' boyfriend Gilberto Azevedo confirms this and adds that Santos "always wanted more.

"She smoked a lot and injected Potenay before going to the gym." he said. "She was a very happy person, friendly and full of dreams. All she ever wanted to do was become a model."

The police are currently investigating the matter. 

1.) What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers or injectable fillers is a minimally invasive procedure which can help fill in facial wrinkles or laugh lines to help give it a smoother appearance and less apparent, according to PlasticSurgery.org.

2.) What are other uses of dermal fillers?

It can be used to improve facial creases, thicken thin lips, and improve scars.

3.) How are fillers different from Botox injections?

Fillers are different from Botox as the latter can only restrict muscle movement to prevent further wrinkles while fillers have a smoothing and plumping effect, according to Paula's Choice.