The US Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Friday against purchasing at-home liposuction and fat-dissolving kits sold online, citing serious risks of infection, disfigurement and death from unregulated devices. The agency said none of the products had been cleared for consumer use.

Reports this week, including an investigation by the New York Post, described women performing liposuction on themselves using kits costing around $95. The devices, often shipped from overseas sellers, typically include cannulas, syringes and unlabelled injectable solutions marketed as lipolytic agents.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that must be performed by licensed clinicians in sterile settings, the FDA said. At-home use carries risks of sepsis, fat embolism, severe bleeding and permanent scarring. The agency urged online marketplaces to remove listings for the kits and asked consumers to report adverse events through its MedWatch system.

Dermatology and plastic surgery groups echoed the concern. A spokesperson for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said the trend reflected demand for cheaper cosmetic procedures but posed grave dangers, noting that even injectable fat-dissolving agents like deoxycholic acid require professional administration.

Consumer safety advocates said enforcement against overseas sellers remained difficult. They called on platforms such as Amazon, TikTok Shop and eBay to strengthen screening of medical products marketed to the public.