Doctors condemn practice of at-home Botox
December 29, 2010

Motivated by a desire to look younger and save money, a growing number of individuals are engaging in the alarming practice of do-it-yourself Botox. Doctors say that there is a bevy of serious risks posed by self-injections and only qualified professionals should be doing the injecting, the Louisiana Times reports.
One such individual who considered injecting Botox herself was 54-year-old New Jersey resident Catherine Maiorino. She ordered Botox over the internet from a spa in California. When it arrived, she realized that she had to prepare it, but it came with no instructions on how to do so.
"There were no actual instructions in the package, no way to determine what the proper consistency should be," she told the news source.
Plastic surgeons universally deride the practice, and several groups have issued warnings about the dangers of mail-ordering injectables. The Physician’s Coalition for Injectable Safety warns that products sold online could be illegal, stored improperly or packaged incorrectly with little or no instructions. All of these factors could result in serious disfigurement, infection or in some cases, even death.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Botox was the most popular cosmetic procedure in 2009, with more than 2.5 million men and women receiving the treatment.
The mission of the Aesthetic Society includes medical education, public education and patient advocacy. Plastic Surgery News Briefs are summaries of current stories found through various news and magazine outlets that relate to or mention plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. The views expressed in these news articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Aesthetic Society, but are merely published as an educational service to our members and the general public. For additional information on these subjects and other plastic surgery related topics, please go to www.surgery.org
Related Articles
Latest Articles
ABOUT The Aesthetic Society
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, is recognized as the world's leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. The Aesthetic Society is comprised of over 2,600 Plastic Surgeons; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements.
WE ARE AESTHETICS
- Follow The Aesthetic Society on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheAestheticSoc
- Become a fan of The Aesthetic Society on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AestheticSociety
- Check us out on Instagram: www.instagram.com/theaestheticsoc
- Check out our consumer-facing website: www.smartbeautyguide.com
- Locate a plastic surgeon in your area: www.smartbeautyguide.com/select-surgeon