Parties Were Not Meant For Botox Treatments

Posted: May 28, 2019

Tupper ware, Candles and Crystals

It used to be that women would get together for shopping parties featuring Tupper ware, candles, and crystals. Unfortunately, Botox treatments have now been added to the list of things women indulge in purchasing in their boozed-up state of cocktailing and peer pressure!

As an aesthetic specialist, I cringe every time a patient tells me about a Botox party that they went to and received mediocre treatment results. Sometimes, I end up fixing what they had done, if they are not too embarrassed to ask for help. And sometimes these intelligent women call to ask my office to price match party prices! Kid you not…

Merits of Botox and Parties

Stand-alone, both Botox and parties have undeniable benefits. Botox makes you look and feel younger by softening the expression lines associated with aging. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery(ASAPS), Botox Cosmetic injections are the single most popular nonsurgical procedure performed today, with over 1.5 million procedures performed in 2017 alone.

And parties? Who doesn’t like a good party? They make you feel good and connected to your community with a bit of help from alcohol. But Botox and Parties are not a good mix and often lead to problems.

Questionable Injector

It’s not your expert injector who has their own practice and impeccable track record who does Botox parties. It’s a drifter. Someone who cannot manage to secure a legit gig, who succumbs to these practices. So basically, you are trusting your face so a nonqualified person who you may not be able to get a hold of if you run into problems. Due diligence out the door!

Questionable Pharmaceuticals

You are buying a colorless, odorless liquid. So how do you know if it is really Botox Cosmetic and not a non-FDA approved dangerous substance illegally imported for perhaps veterinary use? You can’t make this stuff up. This really happened in Florida in 2004. A nonqualified doctor injected himself and several patients with veterinary grade product, producing botulinum poisoning, coma and death almost!

Even if it is really the right stuff, how do you know that you are not being cheated? Often times unscrupulous injectors will over dilute Botox and inject a weak concoction that either doesn’t work or works for a very short time versus the expected three to four months.

Questionable Judgement

When was the last time you made an important decision with lasting consequences visible for all to see, by first indulging in alcohol which we all know negatively effects human judgement? This is not exactly the condition you should be in when you are signing an informed consent to assess the risks and alternatives of this procedure.

What Can Possibly Go Wrong?

Plenty! The problem is that many people falsely believe that Botox is not a real medical procedure because of its popularity and ubiquity. But it is one of the easiest procedures to do poorly. And if done wrong, everyone will be able to see your wonky results for three to four months to come including asymmetries and droopy eyes.

In a nonmedical setting, you cannot ensure sterility of the procedure and risk getting infections in the deep tissues of the face. If there is a serious issue like an allergic reaction, basic life support that could be lifesaving is unavailable at such parties.

“The problem is usually excessive injection or injections too close to the eyelids resulting in a droopy eyelid,” Dr. Seify explains, based on the most common adverse reaction that he sees in his practice. “It’s a temporary issue and will resolve with some eye drops, but could still be annoying to the patient for a period of time. A more pronounced facial asymmetry is another side effect I see sometimes.”

Safety First

This is one of the first rules we learn growing up. It would serve everyone well to remember this the next time they get invited to such an event. Have your Botox and other aesthetic treatments at a physician’s office who is an expert in these treatments.

If you have any questions, we invite you to contact our office today!