Former pop star Pete Burns has sued his cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Maurizio Viel, over a ‘botched’ lip operation. Burns turned to the surgeon to have a lip implant removed however he alleges that Dr. Viel, instead of removing the implant, injected his lips with Evolution and Outline fillers causing swelling, blisters, discharge and lumps.

Burns claims that he was left so disfigured that he was unable to leave his home for months afterwards. He also claims he could not eat properly and was forced to drink through a straw. He feels that his career would have been at a peak have it not been for the surgery as he was in talks with the Pet Shop Boys to record an album, and he had a number of solo projects including a greatest hits album in the pipeline.

Auriana Griffiths is the solicitor acting on behalf of Burns. “Pete has endured considerable pain and suffering following injection of Outline Original,” she explained. “This product should never have been administered to him. As a result of the damage caused by the treatment, Pete has been unable to fully pursue his career in music.”

Burns has since had over 100 operations by Italian surgical specialists to try and rectify the damage however he fears he will now be disfigured for life.