According to a report by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, BOTOX® Cosmetic and other non-surgical cosmetic treatments made up 83% of all cosmetic procedures in 2010 – and BOTOX® was by far the most popular of these minimally-invasive treatments. As BOTOX® continues to grow in popularity, the risk of finding a provider who fails to administer it properly also increases.

“BOTOX® parties” have become an alarming trend. These underground gatherings are meant to offer a cheaper way of obtaining injections – an alternative to visiting a board-certified plastic surgeon and paying full-price to improve your appearance. Unfortunately, the risks of BOTOX® being administered by an unqualified physician far outweigh the financial benefits.

A representative of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service has outlined a five-point checklist to use when seeking a BOTOX® practitioner:

  1. Qualifications – Make sure you are obtaining your injections from a regulated doctor, dentist, or registered nurse who is appropriately qualified to administer cosmetic injectables. If complications occur, you’ll want your practitioner to know how to deal with them.
  2. Title – Unrecognizable titles like “Advanced Aesthetic Practitioner” can be misleading. Make sure the individual holding the needle actually has the title of doctor, dentist, or registered nurse.
  3. Training – Only a well-trained physician will know how to address any adverse reactions to BOTOX®. Ask your provider where they trained for cosmetic injections, and what their training involved.
  4. Location – BOTOX® should only be applied in a sanitary, safe, clinical environment in order to avoid infection.
  5. Substance – BOTOX® is a prescription-only medicine. Make sure you are not buying something off the internet that claims to be BOTOX®.

If you have further questions about BOTOX®, please contact Dr. John J.W. Lee today to schedule an initial consultation. We serve patients in Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Northern Maryland.