You’ve read about Priscilla Presley and Larry King’s wife getting non medical grade silicone injections as well as Kanye West’s Mom…just be careful who you go to and the actual products that are being used or what you purchase. Ask the relevant questions of where the products come from, make sure you know the reputation and qualifications of your plastic surgeon and doctor before allowing anyone to do anything to you.

Many products are available online through pharmacies located in Canada, Switzerland, and India. While the products may be good quality products, the concentrations may vary and you have to reconstitute the products, i.e., put the freeze dried products back into a solution for injection or to be taken by mouth. The amount of dilution is very important and will effect the outcome of the products. You also have to be very careful that the products stay sterile for fear of infection when the product is ingested or injected!

My motto, …don’t discount your parachute, neurosurgeon, or your plastic surgeon…there are some things that are not worth looking for a bargain for…

You must be your own medical advocate and if your plastic surgeon becomes offended at your questions,

This is an online article for Medscape from Jennifer Walden, MD about what the lay persons are doing.

A disturbing news story was reported last week by WBZ TV, out of Dallas, Texas, about a growing trend that doctors have noted regarding lay people performing do-it-yourself cosmetic procedures. A quick Google search on the topic reveals that there are a startling number of reports online about patients injecting themselves with not only FDA-approved products like Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers, but non-medical grade silicone as well. From skincare to laser treatments, and even do-it-yourself Botox instructions and products available online, in a tough economy there seems to be a dangerous new market for plastic surgery products available for direct consumption by the masses. Unqualified injectors making house calls to inject Botox and Dysport as well as filler products like silicone have also been reported, as have spas and salons having these injectables available at reduced rates. With a substance like Botox or Dysport, which is a purified protein derivative of botulinum toxin, taking the DIY route can not only be harmful but in some cases deadly.

As WBZ reported in November 2009, a Texas woman was busted for selling home Botox kits: “Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says Laurie D’Alleva sold several prescription drugs online from her businesses, Ontario MedSpa and Discount MedSpa. Abbott says D’Alleva doesn’t have a license to sell or distribute prescription products, which is required in Texas. She also apparently produced her own how-to videos showing her injecting her own face with syringes”. Her website has been taken down and she has since been arrested, and her self-injection videos were on YouTube.

Only licensed doctors can legally purchase FDA-approved injectables, and of course injectables should only be injected by one’s treating physician. The doctor must be experienced enough to make sure the right amount of Botox is injected into the appropriate site, and that the fillers are placed in the correct anatomical area for the desired result. All injectables have potential downsides or side-effects which should be disclosed to the patient prior to any injection by an informed consent process. The fillers and toxins also have “off-label” uses as deemed by the FDA.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have formed The Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety to publicly address some of the recent dangers for the public seen with injectables. According to consumeraffairs.com:

“The Coalition is cautioning consumers worldwide about the risks of buying cosmetic injectables from online sources. Websites like Amazon.com, e-Bay and Web pharmacies are among just a few of the online resources offering prescription-free Botox, Restylane, or a knock off brand of cosmetic injectables to any buyer.

For products obtained online or bootlegged from other countries, the possibility exists that the product has been obtained illegally, stored improperly or packaged incorrectly. All of these things can lead to poor outcomes including disfigurement, infection or in some cases even death. The Coalition warns that cosmetic injectables require both a diagnosis and prescription by a licensed, qualified physician”.

In conclusion, the outcome of any cosmetic filler or toxin relies on the experience and training of the physician and the brand of the injectable, and licensed medical professionals that are the most qualified to perform these procedures must have the training and understanding of the three-dimensional anatomy of the face that is required for the success of the injections, as well as a detailed knowledge of the filler or toxin to be injected.