Botox is the number one cosmetic procedure on the market today with six and a half million treatments performed just last year. It’s no wonder as it works well to smooth wrinkles, typically in the forehead, between the brows, and around the eyes.
But beware…you might not be receiving the real thing at your next Botox treatment.
On a regular basis, many places do dilute Botox more than is recommended, which makes it less effective. Facilities that don’t treat patients frequently may also inject patients with Botox that is past it’s effective period. Now there is even more concern as the FDA is investigating actual counterfeit Botox that looks just like the real thing but provides no result and could even be dangerous.
The FDA says the fake drug may have been sold to medical practices nationwide by a supplier who was not authorized to distribute pharmaceuticals in this country. Because they cannot confirm that the counterfeit Botox meets US safety standards, the FDA says it should be considered unsafe and should not be used.
So far, the FDA says they have not received any reports of patients suffering negative side effects from the counterfeit Botox.
At Utah Facial Plastics, we only buy Botox directly from the manufacturer, Allergan.  We also check each order to record the lot number, which is not listed on the counterfeit drug. Other signs of a counterfeit product are missing expiration date, manufacturer, and say “Botulinum Toxin Type A” instead of “OnabotulinumtoxinA”. There are also slight differences in the packaging.
For more information on how to ensure you are receiving quality Botox, visit their site HERE.