'You Can Get Horribly Disfigured': Experts Warn Against Dangerous Do-It-Yourself Injections, Cosmetic Procedures

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Some people are taking their faces into their own hands, buying things like filler online and injecting themselves at home. Thousands of people have watched Kimberly Pratt inject her own face. Her YouTube channel, called Natural Kaos, has 400,000 views.

"My goal has always been just to share my experiences with things," Pratt said.

The mother of four is one of hundreds of DIY injectors. Pratt says she saves thousands doing cosmetic procedures at home with products she buys online.

"There's risks, like with anything," she said.

Many of them come from places like China or the United Kingdom and are not FDA-approved.

"Just because something is not FDA-approved doesn't mean it's bad or harmful," Pratt said.

But doctors say patients who self-inject run serious health risks.

Dr. Terry Zimmerman, a plastic surgeon, says the online products are not always legitimate.

"When you're getting something through the mail from another country, you have no idea what you're really getting," Zimmerman said.

These are just three patients who injected themselves and ended up with swelling, lumps or a drooping eyelid.

The cosmetic surgeon who saw these patients said the damage can be even worse.

"Your skin can die and start falling off, and you can get horribly disfigured from that," Dr. Christine Lee said.

But Pratt said she believes that adults can judge the risks of self-injection for themselves.

"Whenever you do something when you're opening up your skin, you are opening yourself up to potential infection," Pratt said.

The American Academy of Dermatology says, "Undergoing a cosmetic procedure is not just about your appearance and convenience. It is about your health and safety first."