A man has been charged with manslaughter after the death of a woman in Christchurch, New Zealand, who was treated with a beauty product to remove wrinkles and blemishes.

The cosmetic Exoderm, manufactured in Israel does not have the approval of the New Zealand Ministry of Health, but is available in Britain, where it costs about £3,500 per treatment. The product’s importers in New Zealand have already been fined £4,000 for selling and advertising Exorderm without consent.

Exoderm is a cosmetic preparation, which peels off the upper layers of facial. It caused the death of Leanna Stevens, age 57, in February 1999 when she suffered a heart attack after being treated with it. She died three weeks later without every regaining consciousness. Exoderm contains phenol, which can have a toxic effect on the heart.