A mentally disabled 19-year-old boy was tricked into having breast enlargement surgery by a beauty clinic in China on the bogus grounds that it could boost his income via live-streaming.

The boy’s mother, surnamed Lu, from Wuhan, Hubei province in central China, said her son underwent the cosmetic operation on July 28 after following the advice of staff at a local beauty clinic.

“When our family heard about this, we were absolutely shocked. It was like the sky was falling. He’s only 19 years old,” the distraught mother said.

She claimed that her son, while seeking employment at the clinic, was told by its staff that the procedure would enable him to earn money through live-streaming.

Exposed WeChat conversations between her son and clinic staff revealed that he was initially applying for a job there, which apparently provided “full board with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan (US$400)”.

When he enquired about job opportunities for males at the clinic, a member of staff said: “You can get the breast surgery done first and start working once you’ve recovered.”

Despite the boy expressing concern that “cosmetic procedures are usually for women” and saying he did not have money for surgery, the staff reassured him that it was “OK for men”.

They then persuaded him to finance the operation in instalments, suggesting he could repay the loan with his live-streaming earnings.

“We have many live-streamers who undergo cosmetic surgery here and make a lot of money. Some platforms allow withdrawals within a week, and others even allow daily withdrawals,” he was told.

The boy eventually took out a loan of 30,000 yuan (US$4,000) and then an additional 7,000 yuan over two years to pay for the surgery.

“The surgery made my son’s chest a B-cup, with two long scars underneath. Seeing those scars breaks my heart,” his mother said.

After repeated negotiations, the implants were removed, which Lu said “traumatised” her son all over again.

She also shared medical reports that showed her son has intellectual disabilities and the mental capacity of a five-year-old. He also suffers from depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.

Determined to seek justice, Lu turned to the media for help.

Hu Junjie, a lawyer from Hubei Today Law Firm, told Hubei Media Group: “If the person has no capacity for civil conduct, a guardian, the parents in this case, must sign for such procedures.

“First, the money must be refunded, and second, if any harm was caused, compensation must be provided.”

The case provoked a strong reaction on mainland social media.

“What? A 19-year-old boy? Breast enlargement? I can’t believe my own eyes,” one person said.

“Giving breast implants to a 19-year-old boy with the intelligence of a five-year-old. These people are beasts,” said another.

“This is beyond outrageous. Some cosmetic clinics are no different to scam gangs,” a thrid person wrote

 - SCMP