TRAGIC WRINKLE (tales from Beverly Hills and the truly self-absorbed)

NY POST ^ | November 21, 2004 | PHILIP RECCHIA and DAVID K. LI

[Liz]

Dr. Daniel Serrano made heaps of cash pandering to the vanity of Beverly Hills ladies like Larry King's wife Shawn, Lionel Richie's wife Diane, TV chef Carrie Wiatt, and stylist to the stars Vivian Turner.........(using) Artecoll, a permanent wrinkle filler that's all the rage from Paris to Beijing.

But "Dr. Dan" is no man of medicine — at least not on this side of the equator, authorities say.

What was worse, Artecoll is illegal in the United States.

Now the alleged fake doc is in an L.A. federal jail on charges of importing and distributing an unapproved medical device.

He was arrested last week after a 13-month investigation by the California Medical Board and (the FDA).

Richie was also nabbed. She allegedly helped him administer Artecoll last year at "injection parties" held at her soon-to-be-ex-hubby's mansion and other Beverly Hills locations.

Agents seized various safe deposit boxes and bank accounts stuffed with more than $1.2 million in cash, along with jewelry, syringes and bottles of Artecoll. ........Artecoll treatments (sold) for $500 per shot — cash only.

...Turner, who devotes her career to bettering the looks of A-list clients like Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise, got her treatments free. "Diane said Dr. Dan would give me a free injection for every patient I introduced him to".......

So Turner, assuming the doctor was on the up-and-up, brought Serrano to Larry King's house, where he worked on the CNN star's wife Shawn.

After being injected by Serrano on six separate occasions — in her lips, cheeks, temples, ears and other areas — Shawn King developed an "aesthetically displeasing bump" on her lower lip, she told investigators.

Now she has trouble speaking and drinking from cups and glasses. King says she's seen two doctors in hopes of fixing her disfigurement.

[durasell]

I'm more than willing to blame Hollywood etc. for a lot, but I can't blame them for the high divorce rate. Anyone taking their cues on marriage from movies or songs has some serious problems to begin with...

[Focault's Pendulum]

Now she has trouble speaking and drinking from cups and glasses

That does it!! I'm looking into my dentist's certifications!!

[marty60]

That's true, I remember when a group of H wives got together for a support group. Dean Martin's x, Johnny carson x, I can't remember the others. Maybe that's what terrified so many. these wives told what it was REALLY like. Plus when you have so many "young" things out there ready to do ANYTHING, for a rich powerful husband, the odds are not good.

[Liz]

Good idea. Every now and then my dentist will comment about newly advertised procedures.....sufficeth to say he's very wary about the "latest", which is very gratifying.

[Liz]

.....so many "young" things out there ready to do ANYTHING, for a rich powerful husband....

So many bimbos. So little time.

[Angry Enough]

Thimble.

[AmericanChef]

If these couples had more going for them, they wouldn't need to concentrate on their looks.

[Liz]

According to the report: Such problems arise when Artecoll is improperly injected......"It's made of little plastic beads that belong in Beanie Babies, not people," said Dr. Ava Shamban, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA and resident skin expert on ABC's "Extreme Makeover." "The body looks at it as a foreign substance and sometimes tries to spit it out. That can lead to the formation of hard lumps — called granulomas — which can grow to the size of a golf ball," Shamban told The Post.

Golf ball size? Betcha Shawn's laying awake nights, wondering where the stuff is gonna pop our next.......her lips, cheeks, temples, ears, or other areas. She---and the other users--- could end up looking like the Elephant Man.

[NYpeanut]

There could not be enough money in the universe to compel me to sleep with Larry King. Who raises these bimbos?

[Liz]

A guy with money is very sexy......even if he looks like Larry King.

[ladylib]

Can you imagine having something the size of a golfball hanging from your lip?

[theoldChief]

And James Brolin is likely quaking in fear of whatever creature might appear next to him in the morning... lumpety, bumpety... BOO!

[NYpeanut]

Holy Aqualung, Liz, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Desdemona]

A guy with money is very sexy......even if he looks like Larry King.

No amount of money could make Larry King sexy. Or any number of other wealthy old men I can name.

[Liz]

Two words.....Aristotle Onassis.

You realy think Jackie Kennedy would have married him if he worked 9-5 in a Wal-Mart?

[Liz]

LOL........jeez, even without botox, or beanie baby injections, James view of Barbra in the AM must be unnerving.

[Desdemona]

Two words.....Aristotle Onassis.

You realy think Jackie Kennedy would have married him if he worked 9-5 in a Wal-Mart?

No, but the difference is that Aristotle Onassis was actually a fairly magnetic man. Some said beautiful. I think it was more a case that he married her for legitimacy than she married him for money.

[TC Rider]

Hey, he's here illegaly simply to do the jobs that American doctors won't do! Let's give the poor man a break.

Release him and give him a leaf blower.

[AppyPappy]

In Hollywood, it's not just looking better. It's looking better than your neighbor. That's why they do this stuff. If you can get an edge over the next person, do it. By any means necessary.

[csvset]

Shawn King developed an "aesthetically displeasing bump" on her lower lip, she told investigators.

It's not nice to fool mother nature.

These " chop shop bondo doctors" make me sick. The local cable access channel runs a infomercial for one of them, showing before and after pics of boobs, butts, chins, noses, tummys, etc. that they have "enhanced".

Quackery.