China mother says mentally disabled son duped into boob job by clinic

She claimed that her son, while seeking employment at the clinic, was told its staff that the procedure would enable him to earn money through live-streaming.

Exposed WeChat conversations between her son and clinic staff revealed that he was initially applying for a job there, which apparently provided “full board with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan (US$420)”.

When he inquired about job opportunities for males at the clinic, a member of staff said: “You can get the breast surgery done first and start working once you’ve recovered.”

Despite the boy expressing concern that “cosmetic procedures are usually for women” and saying he did not have money for surgery, the staff reassured him that it was “okay for men”.

They then persuaded him to finance the operation in instalments, suggesting he could repay the loan with his live-streaming earnings.

“We have many live streamers who undergo cosmetic surgery here and make a lot of money. Some platforms allow withdrawals within a week, and others even allow daily withdrawals,” he was told.

The boy eventually took out a loan of 30,000 yuan (US$4,200), with an additional 7,000 yuan (US$8,000) in interest over two years, to pay for the surgery.

“The surgery made my son’s chest a B-cup, with two long scars underneath. Seeing those scars breaks my heart,” his mother said.

After repeated negotiations, the implants were removed, which Lu said “traumatised” her son all over again.

She also shared medical reports that showed her son has intellectual disabilities and the mental capacity of a five-year-old. He also suffers from depression, anxiety and sleep disorders.

Determined to seek justice, Lu turned to the media for help.

Hu Junjie, a lawyer from Hubei Today Law Firm, told Hubei Media Group: “If the person has no capacity for civil conduct, a guardian, the parents in this case, must sign for such procedures.

“First, the money must be refunded, and second, if any harm was caused, compensation must be provided.”

The case provoked a strong reaction on mainland social media.

“What? a 19-year-old boy? Breast enlargement? What kind of news is this? I can’t believe my own eyes,” one person said.

“Giving breast implants to a 19-year-old boy with the intelligence of a five-year-old? These people are beasts,” said another.

“This is beyond outrageous. Some cosmetic clinics are no different to scam gangs,” a thrid person wrote.