Biopolymer Removal in Medellín: Planning Care After Illegal Injections

Some of the people who contact Medellín clinics aren't looking to change their appearance at all. They're trying to undo something: injections of liquid silicone, oils or other so-called "biopolymers" given years ago, often cheaply, often by someone who wasn't a doctor, and sometimes described at the time as a safe filler. Colombia has seen enough of these cases that its lawmakers wrote a specific law about them. If you're living with the after-effects, this guide explains how to approach removal surgery thoughtfully and how to avoid being harmed twice.

What "biopolymers" means in this context

In Colombia, "biopolímeros" has become everyday shorthand for injectable substances used to add volume to the buttocks, hips, breasts, calves, lips or face outside approved medical products. The term covers a range of materials, and patients often don't know exactly what they received.

Ley 2316 de 2023 (INVIMA normograma) draws the legal line. It defines "permitted modeling substances" as injectable fillers for aesthetic use that appear on a list issued by the Ministry of Health, and treats any injectable modeling substance not on that list, used without authorization for cosmetic purposes, as not permitted. The law also defines extraction procedures, naming methods such as laser, endoscopy, syringe aspiration, liposculpture and open surgery.

What the law changed

Ley 2316 created a new criminal offense for injecting or infiltrating non-permitted substances, with prison terms and fines, and stiffer penalties when the person doing it is a health professional, when the victim is a minor, when the patient was deceived about the substance, or when the face is affected. Beyond punishment, several provisions matter directly to patients:

• Care for affected people. The law directs that diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, removal and mental-health care for people affected by these substances be included in Colombia's health benefits plan (Art. 5). That applies within the Colombian health system; foreign visitors paying privately should not assume it covers them.
• A public list of providers. Authorities must publish, online and free, the institutions and professionals authorized to perform aesthetic procedures, along with sanctions (Art. 7).
• Stronger informed consent. Consent must spell out aftercare, the components used, possible complications, adverse effects and risks (Art. 8).
• A care protocol. The Ministry of Health must develop and update a protocol for physical and mental-health care for conditions caused by these substances, including what the law calls iatrogenic allogenosis and ASIA syndrome (Art. 9).

For you, the practical takeaway is that removal surgery is recognized as its own area of care in Colombia, and that any clinic offering it should be comfortable discussing the legal and clinical framework openly.

Why removal is a different kind of surgery

Removing an implant that sits in a defined pocket is one thing. Injected liquids are another: they can spread into surrounding tissue, form hard nodules, or blend with fat and muscle so there's no clean boundary between the substance and you. That's why a surgeon may talk about "reducing" the material rather than promising to remove all of it. Be wary of anyone who guarantees complete removal before seeing imaging.

It also means the result is a trade-off. Taking out affected tissue can relieve pain, inflammation or hardness, but it can leave contour irregularities, scars or loss of volume. Some patients need staged operations, and some later consider reconstruction with their own fat or other techniques. A frank surgeon will explain these possibilities before you book anything.

Before you travel: gather what you can

Your history is the starting point for any plan. Collect as much as you can find:

1. When and where you were injected, and roughly how many sessions.
2. What you were told the substance was, even if you now doubt it.
3. Any imaging done since: ultrasound, MRI or CT reports and, ideally, the image files themselves.
4. Symptoms and their timeline: pain, redness, hardness, skin changes, fevers, swelling that comes and goes, fatigue or joint pain.
5. Treatments you've already had, including antibiotics, steroids or previous removal attempts.
6. Your other medical conditions and medications.

Send this to any surgeon you're considering. If a clinic quotes a price without asking for imaging or history, that's a reason to look elsewhere.

Choosing a surgeon for removal

Removal surgery calls for a surgeon who has done it many times and who works in a facility that can handle a longer, more complex operation. In addition to the standard checks (ReTHUS for the surgeon's specialty, REPS for the facility, as covered in our guide to verifying the surgical facility), ask:

• How many biopolymer removal cases do you perform, and in which body areas?
• Which imaging do you need before deciding on a plan, and can it be done in Medellín if I don't have it?
• Which removal method do you suggest for me, and why that one?
• Will this be one operation or several? How long between stages?
• What do you expect the area to look like afterward, honestly?
• Do you work with other specialists, such as rheumatology, infectious disease or psychology, when needed?
• Will the removed tissue be sent for pathology, and will I receive the report?

Recovery planning in Medellín

Because extraction ranges from minor syringe procedures to open surgery on large areas, there's no single recovery timeline, and you should treat any generic package length with suspicion. Ask the surgeon to tie your stay to clinical milestones: when drains, if used, are expected to come out, when wound checks happen, and what must look right before they clear you to fly. Our guide to drains and compression garments explains the supplies side.

Scarring deserves special attention. Removal incisions may be longer than those in elective cosmetic surgery, and the surgeon may have to place them where the material is rather than where they'd be easiest to hide. Ask to see where incisions will go before surgery. Our scar-planning article lists the questions to ask.

Why removal quotes vary so much

Patients comparing clinics often find that quotes for "biopolymer removal" are far apart. That isn't always a sign that someone is overcharging. The quote depends on how much material there is, where it sits, which method is used, whether imaging and pathology are included, how long the operation runs, and whether a hospital stay is planned. Before comparing numbers, ask each clinic to state:

• Which body areas the quote covers, and whether it assumes one stage or several.
• Whether pre-operative imaging and the pathology report are included.
• Whether an overnight stay in a clinic or hospital is part of the plan.
• What happens to the price if the surgeon finds more material than expected.
• Which follow-up visits, garments and drains are included.

Only once you've lined these up can you compare like with like. A suspiciously low figure that leaves out imaging, pathology and overnight care may end up costing more.

The emotional side

Many people who had biopolymer injections carry feelings of shame or anger about it, especially if they were misled. That's understandable and it's not a reason to avoid care. Ley 2316 itself treats mental-health care as part of what affected people need. If the clinic you're considering has access to psychological support, use it. If not, consider lining up support at home before and after the trip.

Don't repeat the original mistake

The same market forces that led to the original injections still exist. Watch out for:

• Offers to "fix" biopolymers with more injections or with an undisclosed product.
• Procedures in apartments, salons or spaces that aren't registered health facilities.
• Prices far below other quotes with no explanation.
• Pressure to decide quickly, or to pay in cash without a receipt.
• Consent forms that don't name the procedure, its risks and its aftercare, which Ley 2316 requires.

If you're unsure whether you need surgery at all

Not everyone with past injections needs removal. Some people have no symptoms and stable imaging; others have intermittent inflammation that is managed medically. A thoughtful surgeon will say so. If you're symptom-free and simply worried, ask whether monitoring is a reasonable option and what changes would prompt surgery. Getting a second opinion, including from a doctor at home who can review your imaging, is sensible before committing to a major operation abroad.

After you go home

Ask for your operative report, pathology results and imaging in a format your home doctors can use. Removal patients often need longer follow-up than typical cosmetic patients, and symptoms may continue to evolve. Our guide to continuity of care after returning home covers how to set up that handoff.