Miami doctor banned from Brazilian butt lifts wants more restrictions on them
The Miami area surgeon in a 2023 Brazilian butt lift death has performed his last legal BBL surgery in Florida after the state’s Board of Medicine approved his punishment.
And Dr. Ernesto Torres says that’s fine with him.
Torres said in an email to the Miami Herald that he’s already stopped doing BBLs and would like restrictions on them that would prevent them being done in office surgery centers.
“The current practice of performing such procedures in small surgical centers or unregulated environments amplifies the potential for adverse outcomes,” Torres wrote. “It is a matter of utmost importance that we prioritize patient safety above all else, and I advocate for more stringent oversight and adherence to evidence-based protocols.”
Torres works out of an office surgery center, Sweetwater’s Towers Medical Center, 1695 NW 110th Ave. Under “Meet Our Surgeon,” the Towers website says Torres now handles “hernias such as umbilical hernia, incisional hernia, epigastric hernia, and inguinal hernias minimally invasive. Other surgeries performed by Dr. Torres are gallbladder surgery, colon surgery, laparoscopic appendectomy, and much more.”
The tragic 2023 surgery occurred at what was then Jireh Cosmetic Center Corp.’s Miami Lakes Plastic Surgery, 15450 New Barn Rd., suite 106. State records say Jireh Cosmetic Center still has a license at that location, but now does business as Serenity Lakes Surgery and Beauty. Torres is still listed on the license profile as a physician.
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Dr. Torres on the future of Brazilian butt lifts
Torres’ comments came after the Miami Herald asked him on Wednesday for his reaction to the fine and the ban. He emailed his response after the first version of this story posted on Thursday morning.
“The incident in question highlights a distressing reality: certain surgical procedures, despite having been proven risky multiple times, continue to be performed under conditions that may not be sufficiently controlled or safe.
“It is my firm belief that procedures with a documented history of significant risk should either be prohibited or, if deemed necessary, strictly regulated under specific conditions within well-equipped hospitals, with comprehensive guidelines to safeguard patient well-being.
“I have personally ceased performing these high-risk procedures altogether, recognizing the profound responsibility we bear as healthcare providers.”
State punishment for Dr. Torres
The settlement agreement approved by the Board of Medicine orders Torres to pay $15,229 — a $10,000 fine and $5,229 in reimbursement of the Florida Department of Health’s case costs. He also has to complete five hours of continuing medical education in laws, rules and ethics.
The next section of the settlement agreement says Torres’ “practice is permanently restricted to prohibit [Torres] from performing gluteal fat transfer/Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs).”
This is the first discipline for Torres since he became licensed in Florida on Aug. 31, 2012.
MORE: Violations by a Miami doctor led to a Brazilian butt lift death, state complaint says
The fatal Brazilian butt lift
According to the Florida Department of Health’s administrative complaint, a 32-year-old patient went to Miami Lakes Plastic Surgery for a gluteal fat grafting, commonly called a “Brazilian butt lift.” Fat is taken from the waist and back via liposuction and injected into the buttocks.
But the fat can’t be injected into the actual glute muscles. That’s against Florida administrative code because it can cause blood clots that block blood flow into the lungs, bilateral pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal.
The complaint said that’s what happened here. Torres injected fat into the patient’s glute muscles, her heart began beating rapidly, her blood pressure dropped and she suffered cardiac arrest. She died that night.
The autopsy named bilateral pulmonary fat emboli as the cause of death, with fat graft in several glute muscles and next to sciatic nerves.
This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 5:57 AM.
