The success of Botox for facial expression relaxation has led to many imitators and knock-offs. Since Botox was clinically approved in the U.S. in 2002, many topical products from creams, lotions, and patches have become commercially available that allegedly produce ‘Botox-like’ results. People searching for a less expensive treatment option are lured in by these at-home treatments. While some of them may produce some mild facial relaxation effects, no topical treatment will remotely come close to the effects of Botox injections.
The do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to Botox has now taken a dangerous twist. A pack containing ‘Botox’ powder, needles and a face map has become available without a prescription on eBay in the US for $95. Who exactly was trying to sell this is unknown but eBay has now withdrawn the product offering due to complaints.
This disturbing product attempt to capture the cosmetic bargain seeker and the naive is more than just an all too common internet scam. Botulinum toxin (if in fact that is what it really contained) is a dangerous compound that is widely affected by concentration, how it is mixed, where it is injected, and by how much is injected. It is not like injecting insulin if you are a diabetic, you have to have very specific knowledge of facial anatomy. The effects of botulinum injections depend on getting tiny amounts into exactly the right facial muscle. Get it wrong and you could end up with weakness in your eye muscles and drooping eyelids…or worse you could have more widespread effects such as having difficulty breathing. The recent cases of blackmarket Botox injections in Florida illustrate the worse case scenario.
It is appalling that anyone would attempt to sell a DIY Botox injection kit, offering a procedure that should be done by qualified medical professionals in an in-office setting. While the internet has becomes a marketplace for cut-price cosmetic treatments, you usually have only your money to lose. DIY Botox places much more at risk. This is likely not the last such attempt to make a quick buck on the coat tails of Botox but the old motto is as valid today as it ever has been….if it sounds too good to be true…
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiaan