Woman takes on GP after fat-loss botch

Ronel Botha, a financial director from Centurion, near Pretoria, gave evidence against Dr Charl Marais to the Health Professions' Council of SA yesterday.

She wants Marais struck from the medical practitioners' roll after a botched fat- reduction procedure.

"I want justice. I don't want him to practise any more," the 47-year-old told The Times yesterday.

Botha said that, after the procedure, she was ashamed of her body. She said she could not wear swimsuits, her self-esteem was severely damaged and her marriage had been badly affected.

Botha went to the doctor in 2007 for treatment with "UltraShape body-contouring" equipment.

It was legal then for GPs to perform plastic or reconstructive surgery.

"I was surprised when I found out after the UltraShape [treatment] that he wasn't a registered plastic surgeon. This man has advertisements for this procedure everywhere - in Sarie, Rooi Rose [magazines] and in an in-flight magazine," she said.

The disciplinary committee heard that patients have brought 24 charges against Marais in 12 years.

His advertisement for the Centurion Clinic for Cosmetic Surgery promises "a noninvasive procedure for the breakdown of fat cells with a visible reduction in centimetres off the treated area".

The council heard that Marais was the first doctor in South Africa to buy the UltraShape machine from the High Tech Laser company, based at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

The managing director of High Tech Laser, Johannes Olivier, told the Health Professions' Council that the machine, imported from Israel, was designed to break down the membrane of fat cells and was not designed to deliver heat to the body.

But under cross-examination Botha told the disciplinary committee that she had felt "blasts" of heat from the hand-held device.

"The therapist saw blisters forming on my leg. Blisters also formed on the other leg when she started there. It looked like I had been severely sunburnt. I had no sympathy, nothing, from the doctor [after complaining about the injuries]," said Botha.

The hearing continues today.