When it comes to an injection such as Botox Cosmetic, getting the best deal doesn’t mean getting it for cheap – or only consulting with the first person you come across offering the treatment.

Botox can do serious damage in the wrong hands. You should always double check the credentials of the person injecting it and compare them with other professionals. In the world of Botox and other cosmetic injections, a good thing to remember is that if it seems too good to be true it probably is.

Black Market Botox

These days there’s an underground market for everything, from purses to medications. While you might pause to think about buying a car, or purse, from a random person on the street, a number of people are less than cautious when it comes to ordering medicines, or choosing the person performing a cosmetic procedure on their face and body.

In the United States Botox can only be sold legally to medical professionals. That means the average person can’t simply walk into a pharmacy and buy a vial or two. It also means that a person claiming to perform Botox injections, who isn’t a doctor or doesn’t work at a licensed medical center, might not actually be giving you Botox. There’s big black market for the substance and a lot of it is online.

Unless the bottle comes directly from Allergan – the manufacturer of Botox — there’s no way to guarantee that what you are getting is the real deal. Terrifying stories abound about what has gone wrong when people have tried to inject “Botox” or other cheaply acquired fillers into their skin. Using a fake Botox often results in disfigurement or deformity, even after a trained plastic surgeon has tried to fix the damage done.

Unskilled Hands

Properly injecting Botox is all about skillfully combining scientific know-how with artistic talent. Your face has more than 40 muscles. A person who injects Botox into it needs to know exactly which muscle to inject into. He or she also needs to know exactly how much of the substance to inject to provide the most natural looking results.

Missing the mark with an injection can mean more than you still having wrinkles. It can cause serious side effects and complications. For example, if Botox is injected into the wrong area of the face, you can have a droopy eyelid or your face can look crooked. In the wrong hands, a Botox injection can cause serious problems, such as trouble swallowing or breathing.

Before you let anyone near you with a needle, get an idea of how much training and experience that person has with Botox. Ideally, you want a board certified plastic surgeon who’s not only been trained in the right way to inject Botox, but who has also performed the procedure on countless patients.

Ask to see photos of past results and to speak to past patients if you feel unsure about a person’s expertise.

Getting the Right Advice

Poor skill and the potential for a fake product are just two reasons to avoid seeing an untrained Botox injector. Botox injections are a medical procedure, so you want to see someone who has an understanding of the medical side of the treatment, and who is aware of any precautions you  need to take before and after the injections.

For example, a trained surgeon will advise you to avoid aspirin before your injections. Aspirin is a blood thinner that can increase your risk for bruising from the injection.

A person who know what he or she is doing will also give you accurate guidance on what activities you should avoid right after the treatment, and for how long you need to avoid them. There is a chance that the Botox will migrate from one area of your face to another, even when injected by a pro. It’s usually recommended that you keep your head upright to reduce that chance.

Be wary of any injector who doesn’t give advice or seems unaware that there is any advice to give. When you are thinking about getting a Botox treatment, the most important thing to think about is your health and safety. Don’t let concerns about price or about offending an injector cloud your judgment. Before you let anyone inject it into your face, do your research, ask your questions and make sure you’re choosing the right person.

Schedule an Appointment to Learn More

If you would like to know more about Botox Cosmetic, book a complimentary evaluation by contacting the office of Dr. Rami K. Batniji M.D., F.A.C.S. at his Beverly Hills (310-467-2180) or Newport Beach/Orange County office (949-650-8882). Prospective patients can also email the staff to schedule their initial consultation and to discuss any concerns or questions. We can also assist with travel and financing arrangements.

Dr. Batniji is among only a handful of doctors who specialize in the face and neck regions in Southern California. As a result of this narrow focus, he is able to ensure the best results to rejuvenate those areas in a way that is natural in appearance, both surgically and non-surgically. He is board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and by the American Board of Otolaryngology. He has written extensively in a number of medical journals and speaks regularly at medical conferences and in mass media. Dr. Batniji will meet with you for a consultation to discuss your concerns and whether or not Botox Cosmetic can best address your needs.