Perhaps it is the global recession, the extensive array of medical information available online, or a renewed commitment to the DIY (do-it-yourself) attitude, but the incidence of illegal and non-professional cosmetic procedures is on the rise.
Physicians are reporting seeing the repercussions of botched injections. These injections are coming at the hands of people who have attempted to perform cosmetic procedures at home or from incompetent or unqualified people.
People are injecting various substances under their skin in order to get the cosmetic benefits but not considering the impact of a bad job. Anyone with a credit card and access to the internet can buy a number of substances that are thinly veiled as alternatives to visiting a professional. The syringes are available online, too—everything one needs to serious damage their appearance and health.
While most people would not consider cutting their own skin for cosmetic purposes, it seems that the same hesitation does not exist for injecting substances. The substances that are illicitly injected mirror the substances that are most popular in mainstream medicine, namely botulinum toxin and dermal fillers.
Botulinum toxin, the active ingredient in BOTOX, is the most potent toxin on the planet, pound for pound. At best, the substances that pretend to be botulinum toxin are simply fakes. At worst, it really is botulinum toxin and people are going to inject some very dangerous substances in their skin.
Illegal dermal fillers are even more prevalent because almost anything can be injected under the skin. Unfortunately the substances that are used are rarely sterile and often cause allergic or serious inflammatory reactions.
Not only are these injections leading to cosmetic and aesthetic but many are causing serious medical problems as well. Plastic surgeons are being asked to correct cosmetic problems that have been caused by these substances. These substances are causing serious skin and blood infections.
Improperly injected materials can lead to necrosis of the skin (skin death) and if particles enter the bloodstream, they can cause heart attack and stroke because they can block arteries. Black market BOTOX (which is what this is, really) has lead to paralysis in some cases and can very easily be lethal.
Cosmetic injections are not as easy or trivial as they may seem at first. People are strongly cautioned not to try to be your own aesthetician. If you want to trust your health to the most competent person (and you should) find a provider that is a licensed medical professional.