Within recent years and despite many warnings, there has been an increase in cases where people have suffered disfigurement, long-term health complications and even death resulting from receiving illegal cosmetic injections. In the majority of these cases, individuals sought out cosmetic injections from unlicensed providers posing as professionals.
Recommended by word-of-mouth or found on the Internet, these unlicensed providers primarily lure patients to their black market services with extremely low costs. These fraudulent providers obtain liquid silicone not intended for medical use and inject it, and other unapproved substances directly into their patients. Patients looking on the Internet for cosmetic injectables have also fallen victim to purchasing DIY injectable kits, complete with how-to videos, containing counterfeit or "similar" products for a fraction of the cost of a professional, licensed cosmetic procedure.
The majority of these unfortunate victims are women and members of the male-to-female transgender community who often gather for illicit "pump-up" or "plumper" parties.
If you're a consumer or patient interested in any cosmetic injectable procedure, you should always seek out the services of a professionally trained, qualified and experienced plastic surgeon or dermatologist or appropriately licensed clinician operating under medical supervision. Never choose a provider based on price alone. Your provider should operate out of an appropriate, professional medical environment using sterile instruments.
Just because a provider is licensed and professionally trained, doesn't mean their choice of product is safe. Less scrupulous physicians looking to save money may purchase their cosmetic injectables from outside the United States. Off -market injectables produced in Mexico and Canada often originate from Asia and Eastern Europe and contain unknown substances. The first step in determining the authenticity of any FDA-approved injectable is to make sure the label is clearly marked in English. You should verify that your provider is using FDA-approved products purchased exclusively in the United States from a reputable U.S. distributor. FDA-approved products made in the United States will come in vials or containers with security features such as holographic labels marked with the manufacturer's name and imprinted seals. FDA-approved products are also required to contain a package insert. Packages and vials also come imprinted with bar codes and/or lot numbers.
If at any time your doctor refuses to verify the source of their cosmetic injectables or other information to you, play it safe and go to another medical professional for your procedures.
As always, you should enter your consultation with realistic expectations, a list of questions regarding the benefits and risks of the procedure, and prepared to fully discuss your medical history with your provider; including any previous procedures you may have had and you should discuss your use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements, alcohol and/or drugs of any kind.