When botox goes wrong

Posted Friday, July 17, 2009 to PROCEDURES > Face

Posted by Ravi Jain, M.D

Botox is the brand name for the Botulinum Toxin, a neurotoxin that is used in very tiny doses in cosmetic treatments to relax the facial muscles and smooth out facial wrinkles and folds in the skin. It has also been successfully used to treat muscle spasms, persistent extreme sweating and migraines.

However, Botox is derived from one of most poisonous natural substances in the world, it is highly dangerous in even small quantities and those administering the toxin must be properly trained and take great care with it.

When a highly experienced and qualified professional correctly performs a Botox procedure, it can be an affordable alternative to surgery.

 However, these days, many other non-medical businesses are offering Botox and this has increased the number of cases where Botox goes disastrously wrong. These are just some of the horrendous side effects that inappropriately injected Botox has caused:

DYSPHASIA: Droopy eyes or mouth, a wilting of the facial muscles around the eyelid or the mouth which give the patient the appearance of a Stroke victim.

DOUBLE VISION: Poorly administered injections of Botox near the eyes can threaten the sight and lead to Double Vision or other visual impairments.

FACIAL PARALYSIS: Inappropriately administered Botox can lead to the paralysis of the facial muscles, giving the patient an ugly frozen expression on their face.

BODY PARALYSIS: In the past, there have been a number of incorrectly administered treatments of Botox that lead to the patient suffering paralysis of their whole body.

MOUTH AND NECK PROBLEMS: When an injection is incorrectly applied to the neck or lips, it can cause the patient severe problems swallowing, eating and speaking.

SWELLING/BRUISING: Medical staff know how to deal with the natural swelling or potential bruising around an injection of Botox. Others may not know how to best advise the patient on dealing with this and cause distress and anxiety.

WORSE: There are still unknown risks to receiving Botox injections from non-medically trained professionals.

Frighteningly, Botox ‘self-injection’ kits have become available in the United Kingdom via the Internet. An untrained person self-administering this potentially lethal substance could end up doing irreversible damage to their body. Botox is a prescription-only drug; the dangers involved in injecting yourself could lead to untold complications including complete facial paralysis or even death.

There are huge differences between getting Botox injections at the beauty therapist and Botox injections from a properly qualified cosmetic doctor. The doctor is a highly trained professional, someone who understands the correct layout of the muscles of the face, and someone who thoroughly understands the risks and how to prepare you for treatment and advise you on post-procedural issues. Do you trust your beauty therapist to do this for you? Do you trust them to provide after-care and professional advice if the treatment goes wrong?

People believe that by visiting a local beauty salon for their Botox injections, they’ll save some money. But is it really worth taking that kind of risk with your health? Visit a properly qualified cosmetic specialist to ensure the best advice, treatment and after care.

The award-winning Riverbanks Clinic is one of the UK’s leading clinics for non-surgical cosmetic and dermatological treatments. Dr Ravi Jain helps men and women to turn back the clock, with the help of the very latest safe, non-surgical, highly effective anti-aging skin treatments. The clinic also specialises in treating skin problems such as acne and Roseaca.

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