PCommon health officials are warning about the dangers of counterfeit Botox products, which have been circulating and causing illness in several US states.
As of Friday, April 18, 22 people in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas and Washington have reported adverse reactions to a counterfeit version of Botox (botulinum toxin). All individuals are women, aged between 25 and 59 years.
Symptoms of fake botox include blurred or double vision, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, constipation, incontinence, difficulty breathing, weakness, and difficulty raising the head after injection of these products. The symptoms are similar to those observed when botulisma rare and serious disease caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves and spreads to other parts of the body.
Eleven of those affected were hospitalized and six were treated with botulinum antitoxin due to concerns that the counterfeit botulinum toxin had spread beyond the injection site. All but one of the individuals received the treatment for cosmetic purposes, and all victims reported receiving these injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-health care settings.
The problem is twofold, says Scot Bradley Glasberg, president of The Plastic Surgery Foundation: Low-cost products produced on the counterfeit market lack regulation and oversight, and often end up in the hands of people who are not adequately trained to manage them. “This is not limited to a product like Botox,” Glasberg tells TIME.
He adds that many counterfeit drugs are manufactured abroad and smuggled into the United States, a problem the Federal Drug Administration is investigating. labor to counter. (The CDC, FDA, and several state and local health departments are doing research the source of the counterfeit Botox, but say they appear to have been purchased from unlicensed sources and may be “mislabeled, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective and/or unsafe”).
“This is a health problem. Because the cost of drugs has increased, there is a natural tendency to try to get them cheaper, and the way to get them cheaper is to get them abroad,” says Glasberg.
The reported illnesses underscore the need to treat Botox as seriously as any other medical procedure and ensure you work with a trusted provider.
“Everyone thinks that Botox is a simple procedure, but everything has its risks. “You want to know you’re in the right hands,” she says.
Even Botox injections done by a professional (and with the right medication) have their risks.
“Simply injecting Botox in the wrong place also carries complications,” says Glasberg, who notes that complications can include muscle paralysis if Botox is injected in the wrong place.
The CDC recommends that people considering Botox injections confirm that a provider is licensed and trained to administer the injection and that the product has been approved by the FDA and obtained from a trusted source. The American Academy of Dermatology has a research tool to help patients find a certified provider near them.
“You shouldn’t just go to anyone you see an ad for online,” Glasberg says.
He adds that deals that seem too good to be true could be just that. “(If) you want to scrimp a little and save money on your car, or something, that’s fine, but this is your life. This is your body. “It’s not an area to try to save a lot of money.”