STUART, Fla. — Florida has more cases of cosmetic procedures performed by unlicensed individuals than any other state, according to a National Institutes of Health review — as two Treasure Coast residents in two separate cases were recently sentenced for performing cosmetic procedures without a license.
Friday, Adley DaSilva, the Stuart man found guilty of performing cosmetic surgery without a license, was sentenced to 45 years in prison by a St Lucie County judge.
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DaSilva was one of four people facing charges related to botched cosmetic procedures at the now-closed Cosmetica Plastic Surgery and Anti-Aging in Port St. Lucie, which left patients with scars and "mental anguish."
A jury found him guilty of racketeering, aggravated battery and practicing medicine without a license after a week-long trial in May.
"This case is about greed — vanity," a prosecutor said.
On June 3, Rosa Mena, 50, was sentenced to three years in prison and five years of probation after being convicted of running an illegal med spa out of a backyard shed.
A victim came to police in May 2025 and reported concerns.
Those are two of at least eight investigations WPTV found into unlicensed cosmetic procedures recorded in Florida in the past five years, with six of them occurring since 2024.
Port St Lucie
Unlicensed med spa leaves victim with facial paralysis
"It's always a question of dollars. How can I do this cheaper?" said Dr. John Berman, a Boca Raton plastic surgeon.
Berman said he is seeing more patients seeking help for botched cosmetic procedures performed by people with no license. He says increased social media pressure is helping drive demand.
"They go to TikTok, they go to Instagram, and they see an absolutely beautiful presentation," Berman said.
Berman said year-round beach weather, appearance pressures and a growing medical tourism industry are creating a dangerous combination, specifically in Florida.
"They have a demand for the product more so here than anywhere else in the country," Berman said. "They like the look, they want it, and they think they can get a Ford to do what a Ferrari does, and I don't think that's a realistic expectation."
The consequences can be devastating. In the Mena case, a Port St. Lucie woman suffered facial paralysis after receiving the "backyard Botox" in a shed.
Port St Lucie
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Witnesses in the DaSilva case described scarring and emotional trauma.
In Miami, a 28-year-old mother died at an unlicensed cosmetic recovery home, prompting an investigation that found 25 cosmetic procedure-related deaths in Florida over the past three-and-a-half years.
Florida lawmakers have introduced new legislation to increase penalties for some unlicensed recovery clinics.
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg says the question is not whether Florida needs more laws — but whether existing ones are being enforced.
"You have to take it seriously — and so — I think the laws are there on the books. I don't think we need new laws. We just need to make sure we enforce the laws that are already there," Aronberg said.
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