Why did Madam Li subject her body to such a bizarre treatment?

"Because I'm fat," she said, matter-of-factly.

She weighs 80kg and is 1.58m tall.

Her husband chided her about going for the treatment.

"I've never had issues with her weight all these years that we've been married," he said.

"Now, when I see her in pain when she tries to walk or to lie down, I feel horrible too." Did she know what was involved in the "fat-burning treatment"?

"No, (the therapist) didn't explain," Madam Li claimed. But Madam Li added that she did not ask about it either.

"But they (the spa staff) did say they have performed this procedure many times," she said.

Madam Li did not return to the spa or call its management to tell them about the incident until 3 Nov.

It was only then that she realised her wounds were getting worse.

When Madam Li showed up at the spa, the owner accompanied her to a clinic to see a doctor.

The spa owner paid the $40 bill for Madam Li's medicine and consultation.

She also gave Madam Li a cream to apply on her burns, and $150 for her subsequent medical fees. But Madam Li would have to produce receipts and return the remaining amount if her medical expenses were less than $150.

The spa owner waived the $250 fee for that single "fat-burning treatment" session because of the incident.

The spa owner would not return The New Paper's calls yesterday.

But, according to Madam Li, the owner gave her some money to settle the issue.

Madam Li declined to reveal the sum.

Sacked

The spa owner told Shin Min that the therapist who served Madam Li had been sacked. The manager of the outlet had also been given the boot.

They were told to go because of their carelessness and bad attitude, she told the evening newspaper.

The spa owner said: "After I was informed of the incident, I tried to search for Madam Li's records. But they were nowhere to be found.

"I discovered that the therapist had destroyed Madam Li's records, probably out of fear that she would be sacked if the matter blew up."

Nonetheless, she claimed she personally went to look for Madam Li to find out what happened and to help her.

As for Madam Li, it is a case of once burnt, forever shy.

"It was the first time I had gone to a spa or a slimming centre for slimming treatments," she said.

"And it'll be my last."

This article was first published in The New Paper.