One of the leading cosmetic injectables has recently come into the national spotlight after the Centers for Disease Control announced an investigation, jointly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and several state and local health departments, into 22 cases over 11 states of people reporting harmful reactions after receiving botulinum toxin injections from un-licensed providers in non-healthcare settings such as spas. Harmful reactions from these unlicensed Botox injections have been reported in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Although the investigation is ongoing, the CDC has found that at least in some of these cases the botulinum toxin injected was counterfeit Botox, and in all cases the injections were performed by non-physician providers in non-healthcare settings such as homes and spas. The CDC went on to report that 55% of those harmed required hospitalization, with symptoms such as: blurry vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and generalized weakness.
The CDC and FDA are instructing consumers to confirm with your health care professional that you are receiving a product from an authorzied source and to ask your health care professional if they are licensed and trained to administer the product. This may sound like common sense, because it is, and this represents the absolute minimum standard to provide cosmetic Botox and neuromodulator injections. As a consumer, the best way to ensure the safest and most beautiful results is to seek out a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, plastic surgeon or dermatologist’s office to ensure all providers have the adequate credentials, training and experience to perform cosmetic injections.
