Quite why you'd want to get plastic surgery done on the cheap is baffling considering all the horrible things that could go wrong if you happen to pick a cowboy, but 15% have had to find out the hard way.
Transform Cosmetic Surgery has reported that they've seen an increase in people calling them hoping to create botched Botox jobs, or faux-tox, as they call them.
It prompts a check of surgeries before booking an appointment. Firstly, clients should check it is licensed to be carrying out the procedure. Secondly, there is more than one botulinum toxin, so verify that the one being used is Botox.
Over half of those asked claimed to be aware that there are several brands of wrinkle smoothing toxin treatments, but over three quarters had no idea which one they had been injected with.
More worryingly, patients are not being treated in a clinical environment, despite being given a prescription-only medicine.
Nearly a third (29%) of respondents have had a treatment at a local beauty salon, 10% have happily had one at home or a friend’s home, and 3% have been treated at a ‘beauty treatment party’, and startlingly, had no idea if they were appropriately trained to perform the procedure.
In fact, almost two-thirds (62%) of those surveyed do not think that the industry is regulated or that enough is being done to protect the person receiving treatment – with a third having felt nervous or frightened before, during and after the procedure they underwent.
Dr Hilary Jones, an independent member of Transform’s Clear Panel said: “Informed consent is vital for any medical procedure and cosmetic interventions such as anti-wrinkle injections are no exception. It is essential that each patient understands exactly which product is being injected into their body and whether the brand of Botulinum toxin used meets stringent standards of quality efficacy and above all safety, and has an enduring and proven track record. If someone is offered Botox specifically for example, that is exactly what they should be given and nothing else.”
BOTOX FACTS:
- 1 gram of Botulinum toxin is all that's required to make a whole year’s supply of Botox
- Botulinum toxin is available under four product formulations: Botox, Vistabel, Azzalure, and Bocouture
- Botox comes with a red or purple top. Azzalure and Bocouture have blue tops. You can also tell them apart as Botox has a hologram and is kept in a fridge
- Botox has been used over 2 million times in the EU
- Botox results typically last for 12-16 weeks
- Botox is also used to treat the following; excessive sweating, chronic migraine, cerebral palsy, incontinence, squinting, rapid blinking, muscle spasms