Is Botox safe?

What’s all this about? 

Around 14 people were injected with a drug like Botox, and are now suffering from severe botulism needing hospitalisation and use of the antitoxin in the North East of the UK. Symptoms of Botulism include difficulty breathing, unable to swallow, slurred speech and blurred vision. Some cases may require up to 20 vials of anti-toxin (at £140 per vial) to reverse botulism, at a possible cost of £2,800 per person. The NHS do not need this unnecessary expense.

Why would this happen?

1. There is no regulation or licensing to ensure the people injecting the products are safe and capable to do so. 
2. Because the person administering the drug (Botox) injected too much in. If this was one of the UK regulated drugs, then a lot is needed to make someone unwell. This would be extremely expensive to purchase enough vials to make you unwell. 
3. Because the person injecting the product injected the drug into the wrong muscles. I see a lot of bizarre things demonstrated on social media.
4. The drug was not regulated. This usually means the appropriate medical trials have not been performed (which usually take around 10-15 years) to ensure safety in humans. 

Considering an injectable procedure?

To be as safe as possible follow this checklist:

• Ask your practitioner for their medical qualifications, experience and licensing number. Check who they say they are. If they don’t have a medical license, then there are no set standards to follow. 
• Your injector should carry out an assessment of your medical history, allergies and have examined you.
• They should discuss and provide you with a consent form on the risks of any medical procedure and give you documents to sign. 
• The practitioner should disinfect and prepare the skin ready for treatment and is wearing gloves.
• The clinic should feel and look appropriate for a medical procedure to be performed in.

Or why not lobby your MP, as Westminister needs to urgently regulate the nonsurgical cosmetic sector and close loopholes that allow the purchase and sale of non-licensed prescriptions online to protect the public. Tight regulation is needed in this sector. 

In summary- until regulation exists, be sensible and choose your injector wisely.