Cardi B got real about her $800 butt injection

It’s been a HUGE week for Cardi B. She not only released her first studio album, Invasion of Privacy, on Friday, April 6th, but she confirmed that she is, in fact, pregnant during her April 7th SNL performance. Yes, we’re in awe.

And now, in a recent interview with GQ for its May issue, Cardi B is giving us a major dose of honesty. Not only did she open up about her meteoric rise to fame and reveal little-known details about her past (specifically, how she was involved in a gang when she was a teen), but she also opened up about $800 black market butt injections she once got that didn’t go to plan (and note, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, buttock augmentations typically cost upwards of $4,000 when done by a licensed professional).

Cardi told the magazine that she decided to get work done on her derrière after a big breakup, but she didn’t go to the most, well, legit establishment. The rapper recalled how she ended up getting her injections in Queens in a woman’s basement.

"They don't numb your ass with anything," she said. "It was the craziest pain ever. I felt like I was gonna pass out. I felt a little dizzy. And it leaks for, like, five days."

She then said that she wanted to go in for a touch up, but wasn’t able to because the injector was in prison.

"But by the time I was gonna go get it, the lady got locked up 'cause she's supposedly killed somebody. Well, somebody died on her table."

Egads.

We applaud Cardi’s honesty about her experience with this particular cosmetic procedure, and are also using this as a firm reminder to always go to a licensed professional when getting anything done to our bodies. 

HelloGiggle’s reached out to NYC board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman to get the lowdown on the dangers of receiving this type of procedure from an uncertified practitioner.

"These injections can cause serious injury and even death," Dr. Schulman wrote. "The material tends not to be medical-grade materials, since the person injecting it does not have access to medical supplies. Commonly the silicone is industrial silicone, purchased from the corner hardware store. Injection can cause infections and your butt can turn as hard as a rock from an inflammatory reaction . This can happen early, or even up to 10-15 years later."

He went on to write,

"Repair of this complication often involves major surgery to remove all the hard tissue, leaving permanent deformities. Untrained injectors can even accidentally inject the material into a blood vessel, causing the material to travel to the heart, lungs, and brain, and instantly kill you. These stories are not uncommon."

Basically, this is a critical reminder to always do our research and prioritize our safety when it comes to cosmetic procedures!