News Item

Dougherty County (GA) officials are searching for an individual responsible for illegally injecting silicone throughout the Southeast.

March 6,  2004

Mark Koponen, M.D., of the Georgia State Medical Examiner's Office said the unnamed individual is "The Wal-Mart of silicone injectors," victimizing transgender and other populations from Jacksonville to Savannah to Atlanta and as far west as Birmingham. Koponen said the man has been responsible for one death, and others who have been injected have become very ill.

Doughtery County Assistant District Attorney James Paulk said county authorities have identified a suspect, but are not releasing his name at this time.

Injections of liquid silicone can be extremely dangerous or fatal, especially when administered by untrained and uncredentialed persons-- a common practice in the United States, and epidemic in the Southeast. Reactions can be immediate or delayed for years or even decades, and can include respiratory distress, neuopathy, severe autoimmune and connective tissue disease, toxic shock syndrome, granuloma, and schleroderma. Illegal injections additionally pose severe risks of infection and transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

Once injected, silicone is permanently in the body; technology does not exist for its effective removal.

Gender Education & Advocacy strongly cautions AGAINST injected silicone and urges anyone with information about individuals soliciting customers for silicone injections to contact the authorities in their area.

Those with information about "the Wal-Mart" of silicone injectors should call Doughtery County GA authorities at 229-432-8180.