This is what happened when a woman in Texas started selling fake “Botox” from a website and posting How To videos on Youtube.

This obviously isn’t the same as the Botox training that physicians are offered…

Here’s what happened in Texas:

Discount Medspa Defendant D’Alleva Agrees To Halt Unauthorized Sales of Prescription Drugs, Devices

Owner offered prescription products, including Botox-like drugs, for sale online

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today resolved a November 2009 enforcement action against a Tarrant County woman who unlawfully marketed and sold prescription drugs, including instructions for botulinum toxin injections, over the Internet.

According to state investigators, Laurie D’Alleva and her Mansfield-based businesses, Discount Medspa and Ontario Medspa, improperly marketed cosmetic enhancement prescription devices and prescription drugs over the Internet. She also provided links to video instructions for “do-it-yourself” injections of botulinum toxin. To resolve the state’s enforcement action, D’Alleva agreed to pay the state of Texas $125,000 in civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and the Texas Department of State Health Services’ investigative costs.

The drugs and devices marketed by the defendant are only available to purchasers who have prescriptions from licensed medical professionals. Thus, the defendant improperly made those products available to persons without requiring prescriptions. Further, the defendant did so without licenses to dispense, distribute or sell prescription products, as required by state law.

Products that D’Alleva offered for sale included: Dysport® and “Freeze,” which both contain botulinum toxin; several prescription saline solutions and creams; an anti-depressant to lift libido; the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone for weight loss; and the prescription device Restylane® for face augmentation.

Court documents filed by the state indicate that an undercover investigator purchased a “Newbie Starter Kit,” which contained the prescription Restylane® in a filled syringe, a 50-unit Freeze product containing purified neurotoxins, one package of Bacitracin, empty syringes and needles, and other pharmaceuticals.

The state’s enforcement action charged D’Alleva and her businesses with multiple violations of the Texas Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. According to investigators, the defendant falsely – and unlawfully – claimed that prescription-only products were available to all purchasers without restrictions. Further, although D’Alleva promoted her membership with an organization called the Texas Medical Council – which she said granted her the authority to sell prescription-only products – no such organization actually exists.

Posting DIY Botox Training Videos On Youtube? is a post from: Botox Patient

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1. Discount Medspa shut down for selling Botox style self-injection kits.
2. Botox Patient: Fake Botox or not, Discount Medspa is going to jail!
3. Do it yourself Botox: People are injecting themselves with fake Botox.

Hey guys! Have we got a treat for you!

We’re going on a 3-day journey… one, we’re sure, you never thought you needed to take.

By way of introduction, let us share with you the reason why we’re doing this.

While we were doing research for the Botox Guide (which, by the way, we can’t wait to share with you!), we realized how getting into the mind of your physician can help you get safer, cheaper and better Botox treatments. It will help you see things through their eyes and sortof learn to play their game… but you create your own rules.

If you want to discover how they learn to inject Botox, what they actually think of the treatment and how medical malpractice figures into the equation, then you better bookmark our site now. We’ll be dishing out insider information you won’t get anywhere else!

So, without further ado, here is where your 3 days in the shoes of your Botox provider begins:

Day 1: the crash course that is the Botox Training

Medical practitioners, who seek to add Botox to their respective roster of services, usually start with training. Here’s a sample schedule of one such Botox training course:

8:00am – 12:00nn: Botox Training

Lessons include the following:

• history of the drug,
• the science behind how the drug works (or what is known as pharmacology)
• proper storage, handling and reconstitution,
• indications, contraindications and side effects
• human facial anatomy and physiology
• injection techniques for different treatment areas
• pre and post treatment care

12:00nn – 1:00pm: Lunch

1:00pm – 3:30pm: Training on Dermal Fillers

Yes, the other half of the day is devoted to other cosmetic procedures. Botox is usually lumped with dermal fillers because they are both injectables and are, in that sense, similar.

3:30pm onwards: Hands-on Training for Botox and Fillers

This is where the day gets exciting. The physicians attending the seminar get to practice their new-found knowledge on actual people. However, there’s a catch. There’s a limited number of ‘live models’ on whom they can practice. We’re venturing a guess of a maximum of 3-5 people per attendee. While some may think that’s enough, we believe otherwise.

There’s a difference between those who are legally allowed and who are qualified to perform Botox treatments. Anyone with a medical license can inject Botox. But being qualified takes more than just a day’s worth of lectures.

Also, merely reading materials and watching other people perform the treatments do not result in Botox expertise. Experience, specifically performing the procedure on hundreds (even thousands) of patients is still the best way to perfect this skill.

It is through experience that the injector learns about the differences in the facial musculature of every individual, how such differences would affect where the Botox is injected and how much of the drug is used as well as what techniques increase or decrease the risk of side effects. This kind of knowledge cannot be acquired in just a few hours. This is why we can’t stress enough how important it is to check how long your doctor’s been administering Botox and how many patients he’s already treated. Knowing these may help you decide on who you will trust to wield that Botox laden needle.

Note though that the more experienced injectors charge higher than the new ones. Think of it this way: the new Botox doctors charge less because they get to practice on you. You, then, become a prelude to their expertise. We’re not saying that this is wrong. We just wanted to let you know so you can make an informed choice on the matter. At the end of the day, your decision will prevail and we trust that you will weigh the pros and cons carefully.

In Your Botox Doctor’s Shoes is a post from: Botox Patient

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The FDA approved the use of Botox for migraine headaches just last October 15. Here’s a little Q&A that addresses your most pressing questions:

How will I know if I have chronic migraine?

You have chronic migraine if you experience headaches on most days of the month (at least 15 days each month).

The common symptom is intense pulsing or throbbing pain in an area of the head accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. (sidenote: The FDA recognizes that the condition is more common in women than in men.)

What will I experience during the treatment?

During treatment, the physician will inject Botox around the head and neck area. Injections will have to be repeated every 12 weeks for the continuous prevention of headaches.

Reminder: Make sure that your physician is familiar with using Botox for migraines, specifically. Remember that different muscles are treated for varying conditions and expertise in using the drug for 1 condition does not translate to expertise for the others.

Are there any side effects?

The most common complaints of patients who’ve had Botox injections for migraines are neck pain and headache. Note, though, that these are only temporary and they do go away.

What does this mean for me?

This may well be good news for you if you suffer from chronic migraines! You may be able to get your insurance to shoulder the cost of treatments like this. The Director of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products considers chronic migraine as one of the most disabling forms of headache that greatly affects family, social and work life. Because of this, the FDA deemed it necessary to provide patients with options to address their condition – one of those being Botox.

Despite its only recent FDA approval, doctors have been using the drug off-label to treat this same condition. In case you’re worrying about safety, don’t! Numerous clinical studies have been conducted to test its efficacy and it won’t get the green light from the FDA if it wasn’t safe for use on humans. If you suffer from chronic migraines and would like to try Botox, be sure to consult your physician first.

via Medical Spa MD

FDA Approves Botox For Migraine Headaches is a post from: Botox Patient

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Who among you knew that there was such a thing as Botox immunity? It’s not one of the more known info about Botox, that’s for sure!

But yes, there have been cases of patients having a Botox immunity. They get the shots but don’t see the results. Too bad, eh? Well, here’s the skinny on this little known fact about this often-used drug.

Causes:

• OVER-DOSAGE: physicians say that this is the most common cause of Botox immunity. When too much of the drug is used, the body starts developing antibodies that counteracts its effect. Note, though, that this usually happens when Botox is used to treat other conditions like cerebral palsy where large dosages are really used for treatment.

• SUBSEQUENT TREATMENTS: the effects of Botox are said to be cumulative if you go in for your next treatment before the drug completely wears off. This will be tantamount to over-dosage that builds-up through procedures in intervals of 2-3 months, spanning a period of years.

• UNDER-DOSAGE: in case you can’t see any results after, there is a possibility that the Botox used for your treatment was watered down. In this instance, immunity is not the problem – your Botox provider is ripping you off using an over-diluted drug! You can either go in and demand your money’s worth or consider that as a lesson learned and find an honest and experienced physician who will inject you with the right potency.

Quick fixes:

• You can have your blood tested for the antibodies

This will set the record straight and you can act according to the results. If you do not have the antibodies, then chances are you’re being duped by your physician. If you have the antibodies in your system, then read on because we have some tips to deal with that…

• Try other Botulinum toxin products

You have a choice between Dysport and Myobloc. Dysport is derived from Botulinum Toxin Type A (like Botox) but they have different inactive ingredients that may just do the trick. Another (more) possible option is Myobloc since its active ingredient is the Type B strain of the toxin. The latter is what they usually recommend to patients that are found to be immune to the Type A drugs.

• Try Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures

You have several options on the non-surgical cosmetic medicine front. A few of the treatments that you can consider are fillers, Restylane, Juvederm and laser resurfacing. They’re all intended to decrease the appearance of wrinkles. Some people say they’re not at par with Botox but, we think, considering your specific circumstance, you’ve got nothing to lose!

The What’s-What of Botox Immunity is a post from: Botox Patient

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Here are 5 of the most frequently asked questions about Botox treatments that we’ve collected from blogs, forums and comments all over the web. These are real concerns that real women have expressed on the topic of Botox treatment.

1.    How long will the procedure last?

A Botox treatment lasts an average of 20 minutes.

2.    What part of the face does it work best on?

Botox will work best on parts of the face that have dynamic wrinkles. While the topic of dynamic wrinkles is best discussed separately, I will say that they can be found in the following areas of the face: forehead, crow’s feet, between the eyebrows and smile lines.

3.    What happens during the procedure?

A Botox treatment begins with the reconstitution of the drug, followed by the treatment proper where the doctor will use a very fine needle to inject the drug into the body of the muscle.  Yes, you read right, Botox is injected into the muscle and not the skin.

4.    Does is hurt?

Some patients have experienced slight discomfort during injection but they also said that it didn’t last longer than a few seconds.  Because there is little to no pain involved, a Botox treatment usually does not require any anesthesia.

5.    Can I resume my regular activities after treatment?

Yes, you can go back to your regular activities after treatment.  There is no downtime after a procedure but you do have to follow some post treatment measures to prevent side effects from occurring.

-o-

These are just a handful of the important issues that we will be talking about in the Guide.  Other topics include how to choose your doctor, questions that you should ask during your consultation and tips on lowering the cost of your Botox treatment.

Leave us a comment below if you have any other concerns that you want us to include. This Guide is for you and is being made with you in mind.  We want to address most, if not all, of your concerns so sound off and get your Botox concern heard and answered!

Top 5 Botox Treatment FAQs is a post from: Botox Patient

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2. The Truth About How Botox Works
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Are you the right candidate for Botox?

Still trudging along the lines of Botox safety, we are thinking to include a section on how to check if you are the right candidate for a Botox treatment.

Botox, despite all the bad press surrounding its use, is a really safe drug that has not been reported, as yet, to cause severe illnesses such as paralysis or even death.  But because it is still precisely that, a drug, there are some possible side effects that can be triggered or aggravated by circumstances that exist prior to the treatment.  Should you have any of such condition, it is highly recommended that you inform your chosen physician before your procedure so that he may advise you properly.

Here are some of the circumstances and conditions that should make someone re-evaluate the risks posed vis-à-vis the expected benefits of undergoing Botox treatments:

• Pre-existing neuromuscular condition such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or the Lou Gehrig disease), Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis and spinal muscular atrophy;
• Allergic reaction to any of the components of Botox
• Adverse reaction to a previous treatment involving the Botulinum Toxin
• Muscle weakness especially in the area where you plan to be treated
• Any surgery on the location to be treated, whether in the past or planned for a future date
• Breathing problems such as asthma or emphysema
• Pregnancy and/or lactation

We’re planning to expound on how these conditions increase the risks associated with undergoing a Botox treatment and why the FDA has considered these factors as contraindications to the usage of the drug.

We want you to feel comfortable with the procedure before you even sit on the doctor’s chair and we know that addressing your concerns about safety is the first step towards this direction. So, we’re trying to discover the common questions that Botox patients ask and try to provide all the answers in one handy resource.

This Guide is starting to turn out to be a nifty source for real information about Botox!  Stay tuned for more updates…

Know If Botox Is Right For You is a post from: Botox Patient

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Here’s an update to The Insider’s Guide that we are creating.

We just decided to include a discussion of issues that should be considered as Botox no-no’s.  A common denominator among these types of issues is the desire to avoid paying the high cost of Botox treatments.  Sadly, money, or a feeling of lack thereof, can really drive people to make unwise decisions.  We’re hoping that this Guide will protect women from unscrupulous individuals and, maybe, even from themselves, by giving them the information needed to make smart choices.

Here are a couple of issues that we might tackle in The Guide.

Do-It-Yourself Botox treatments

A lot of controversy was stirred by the arrest of Laurie D’Alleva. Suddenly, the issue of Do-It-Yourself Botox treatments was shoved into the spotlight.  I know that there are individuals out there who believe that Laurie was doing the common person a great service by giving them access to cheaper cosmetic medicine.  But, please be wary of distributors, online or otherwise, who allow you to purchase prescription medicine, such as Botox, without a prescription.  The FDA has regulated these drugs for several reasons – most important of which is your safety.  A lot of people seem to overlook the matter of health just to be able to save some money but, as some of the victims of Discount MedSpa admit, reversing the effects of their DIY treatments are causing a much bigger dent on their bank accounts.

Fake Botox

Most of the bad press associated with Botox actually pertain to instances where Fake Botox was used irresponsibly.  You may have heard of the Houston physician who was sentenced to prison for using industrial strength Botox on her patients.  The drug she used was labeled “FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, NOT FOR HUMAN USE” and yet she still injected some 170 of her patients with it.  Botox, despite being derived from a neurotoxin, is really a safe drug – but this comes with several precautions such as using only the FDA approved version produced by Allergan and proper administration by experienced medical practitioners.  When a person chooses to cut corners and find cheaper alternatives without regard to possible repercussions, you just know that things are bound to get ugly – and with Botox in the equation, ugly might just be right on the money.

I know that deciding to undergo any medical procedure requires giving your physician a little bit of faith but that doesn’t mean that you have to go through the process blindfolded.

The inclusion of a section that discusses these issues in The Guide is made with the hope that we will be making more women think twice about latching on to super-saver deals like these.  We’ll also give you some tips on avoiding Botox pitfalls such as how to choose your physician, what to ask during your consultation and even how to check if the Botox that will be used is the real deal.

I hope this is getting to be as exciting for you as it is for us!

Botox Mistakes You Should Avoid is a post from: Botox Patient

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2. The Insiders Guide To Botox
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Botox, like every other word, has an etymology that can tell you so much about what the word denotes.

Most people overlook the fact that Botox is the brand name that Allergan gave the drug it manufactures for the treatment of wrinkles.  This commercial name is actually a contraction of the words Botulinum Toxin from which the drug is derived.

BOTOX = BOtulinum TOXin

Let us now deal with the 2 main words involved:

1. Bot·u·li·num* (n): a spore-forming bacterium that secretes Botulinum Toxin. [From the German word "Botulismus"; coined from the Latin term "Botulus" which means sausage.  The word 'sausage' is a depiction of the shape of Clostridium Botulinum, the bacteria that produces the toxin]
2. Tox·in* (n): a poisonous substance… usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues… [From the Latin term “Toxicum” which means poison]

Bacterium.  Poison.

The two main words associated with Botox involve things that people usually stay far away from.  No wonder most women’s primary concern is the safety of using Botox!

The Insider’s Guide that we are currently creating will include a section that will delve into the safety issues commonly associated with Botox treatments such as:

• Is it safe?  If so, how?
• Important things you need to know to do Botox safely
• How things can go wrong in a Botox treatment and how to avoid them
• Possible side effects and measures you can take to prevent them from occurring
• Botox pitfalls that you should avoid at all costs

We’re hoping that tackling this issue head on will give you the answers to common questions you may have regarding the safety of using Botox.  The ultimate goal is to give you eveything you will need to make smart choices every step of the way.

*definition from merriam-webster online

Common Botox Safety Concerns is a post from: Botox Patient

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2. The Truth About How Botox Works
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What exactly does Botox do?

One of our goals for this Guide is to give you an accurate description of how Botox works.  Of course before you can decide that a Botox treatment will work for you, you have to know how the drug works.

A simple google search on the topic will give you the impression that the research is easy enough – and it actually is.  Well, at least until you come across a site that says something different.  Then you question which of the two possibilities is correct.

Here’s what most of the sites say: Botox blocks the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is the muscle’s signal to contract.  Even the pictures available online all illustrate this cause and effect scenario.  The common visual interpretation depicts Botox as encircling little spheres in the nerve ending that contain the acetylcholine.  By virtue of such encircling, Botox prevents the release of the neurotransmitter and the muscle does not receive its signal to contract.  No muscle contractions mean reduction in wrinkles.  This explanation puts forward the theory that what is affected is the function in the nerve ending.

Now, here is what the dissenting website had to say: the function of Botox is to prevent the receptors on the side of the muscle from recognizing the acetylcholine – which means that the neurotransmitter is still released but the muscle receptors cannot recognize the signal.  In this explanation, the organ affected by Botox is the muscle.

To a non-scientist, the second theory actually makes sense following this logic: Botox is injected into the muscle therefore, the organ affected is the muscle.

However, when one realizes that the Botulinum Toxin, from which Botox is derived, is a neurotoxin, you realize that it can and will have an effect on the functions of neurons so it is plausible that they affect the nerve that is responsible for making the muscles move even if the drug is injected in the latter.

Ah, the confusion.

It doesn’t help that Medline Plus, a website by the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, says that Botox treatments work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles OR by blocking certain nerves.  This technically gives both of the theories leg to stand on.  This now leads me to 3 hypotheses: (1) both of these theories are actually correct and are not mutually exclusive in describing the effects of botox, (2) if only one of them is correct, even these government agencies are unsure which of the two is correct or (3) none of these theories is correct and there is a third explanation out there just waiting to be discovered.

On that note, let the research resume…

The Truth About How Botox Works is a post from: Botox Patient

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We’ve started writing the Insider’s Guide To Botox and are keeping you in mind the whole time — as much as possible, we’d like to address your Botox concerns from the moment you start deliberating if you’re a good candidate for the procedure until the time you schedule your next treatment.

One of the things that we  decided to do is address the myths surrounding  Botox and give you the correct information.

We came across several erroneous and misleading articles and commentaries online while conducting our initial research and this propelled our efforts into separating Botox myths from facts.  We also took note of common misconceptions and will distinguish which ones are true and which are not.

We figured that if we were to put ourselves in the shoes of someone searching around online for information that will help them decide if they’re going to go through with the procedure, we’d end up having to wrestle with confusing literature especially with topics relating to when you should schedule your next treatment, who are authorized to administer the drug and something as basic as how the drug works.

All this is geared towards creating the ultimate guide for the smart Botox patient.

Here are the general headlines of the Guide:

• Botox Basics: Everything you need to know even before your first consult
• Botox Treatment: Overcoming Botox Jitters
• Botox Aftermath: Making the effects of Botox last

Debunking Botox Myths is a post from: Botox Patient

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We’re about to make available a new guide for anyone looking in to the possibility of getting Botox for the first time.

Here’s the very first outline that we’re starting to work from. Of course, it’s only a rough draft but it’ll take shape soon enough.

Botox Patient: Getting Botox For The First Time. A guide to Botox for smart women.

Before: a woman thinking it over at home

• What is Botox
• Address the concern that Botox is a toxin
• What it does
• Why it has the effect that it does
• Am I candidate for Botox injections
• How do I select a Physician/Clinic
• During: a woman on her first consult and procedure
• What is the nature of the office examination
• Questions that Physicians ask
• Questions that a Patient must ask
• How soon after the first consult can the procedure be done

The Botox Treatment

• How is it administered
• Where is it injected
• Is it painful?
• What a patient can do to minimize the pain (Take pain killers before the procedure?)
• How long does the procedure last
• Out patient procedure
• Is it advisable to do it during lunch hour?
• We could include the “what you need to know but doctors don’t tell you” part here

After:  a woman who just finished her first botox treatment

• What are the things a first-timer must remember
• How long does the effect last (how long before next treatment)
• Possible side effects
• Any special advice to take care of skin that has been recently botoxed
• How to address possible inflammation or tenderness on the area treated
• How to make the botox last

Getting Botox For The First Time is a post from: Botox Patient

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Are emotions only skin deep?  Check out this new info about a positive side effect from Botox….

Botox injections administered to reduce frown lines may also delay patients’ recognition of anger and sadness around them, according to a study to be published in the journal Psychological Science. This common cosmetic treatment uses botulinum toxin type A (BTX) — known as Botox — to paralyze facial muscles that control frowning and relax the surrounding skin wrinkles. “Botox induces a kind of mild, temporary cognitive blindness to information in the world, social information about the emotions of other people,” said David Havas, lead study author and a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Havas’ team evaluated 40 first-time Botox patients before, and then two weeks after, they underwent treatment. On both occasions, the participants read happy, sad or angry statements, and pushed a button to indicate their comprehension of the text. After receiving the Botox injections, it took longer for the frown-impaired participants to process the angry and sad statements. However, the time required to process happy statements did not change.

The study results support the “facial feedback hypothesis,” which states that physical expressions, such as grinning or grimacing, signal our brains to produce an emotional responses. In this case, the Botox injections prevented frowning, and so delayed the perception of negative statements.

Murad Alam, an associate professor of dermatology at Northwestern University, has also investigated the Botox-facial feedback relationship and found a link between restricted frown muscles and mood. “When we are sad, angry or frustrated, but we have Botox on board, our muscles do not contract to create furrows between our brows and deep creases on our foreheads,” Alam said. “This lack of frowning and wrinkling works backward to adjust our emotions and make us happier.” “We all know that language has the power to move us to emotional experience; just read your favorite novel, or listen to a rousing speaker,” Havas said. “This research shows how it works: Language moves emotions in part by moving the face.”

Can Botox make you happier? is a post from: Botox Patient

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The editors of Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery are gazing into the crystal ball once again to see what’s in store for 2010.

Even More Botox-Like Products Will Come to Market.

First there was Botox Cosmetic; then 2009 brought the Botox alternative Dysport. In 2010, expect to see a few more Botox rivals, including a topical form of the popular wrinkle relaxer and at least one more injectable. A couple of injectable Botox cousins are in development, but PurTox will likely be the next to get a nod from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The main difference in these injectables seems to be how long the results last and how quickly the products start to work on your crow’s feet.

Fat Injections to the Breast Will Be Used Cosmetically.

After being condemned by plastic surgery associations, fat injections to the breast were deemed OK for “touch-ups” after breast reconstruction in 2008. But these once controversial injections may soon play a role in cosmetic breast augmentation. Taking fat from a part of the body where there is too much (your thighs or butt, for example) and injecting it into your breasts where there is too little, may replace the need for breast implants when done in conjunction with a breast lift. Some kinks still need to be worked out, but fat injections to the breast are likely here to stay.

Surgeons Will Invent – and Perfect – Body Contouring Surgeries to Follow Massive Weight Loss.

More and more people are undergoing bariatric surgery to lose weight, only to be left with hanging fat and flab in highly visible areas. As plastic surgeons put on their thinking caps to better address these issues, expect to hear about many new procedures, including the corset trunkplasty. This new surgery targets above-the-belly-button flab, to recreate an hourglass silhouette in formerly obese women and get rid of love handles in men who have lost massive amounts of weight. This area has been ignored by many traditional body contouring procedures that target the lower abs, buttocks and/or thighs. We will hear more about corset trunkplasty and other innovative body contouring procedures in 2010.

Fat Freezing Heats Up in 2010.

Fat freezing (or cryolipolysis) may give liposuction a run for its money in the coming years. This technology works by freezing fat cells and breaking them down. Zeltiq is in clinical trials now, and results look promising. Stay tuned.

Cohesive Gel Breast Implants Receive FDA Approval.

These so-called “gummy bear implants” have been making their way down the pike for some time, and they just may get the long-awaited FDA nod in 2010. Filled with cohesive silicone gel, these leak-resistant implants – used in Europe and Brazil – are being studied in the United States. Gummy bear implants have the positive attributes of silicone gel, but the gel doesn’t migrate. This is a good thing, because if the shell should fail, the gel wouldn’t leak into surrounding tissue.

Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures Experience Rebirth.

As our economy starts to show signs of life again, more people may opt for cosmetic surgery procedures, reversing the steep decline of the last two years. Don’t expect the numbers to reach their record highs anytime soon, though. There will likely be a slight increase in plastic surgery procedures – especially minimally invasive ones such as injectables that allow people to put off more invasive (and expensive) procedures like face lifts until they really need them (and can better afford them).

Botox Patient: Looking into the crystal ball for 2010 is a post from: Botox Patient

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FDA approved Botox back in 2004 to treat severe and excessive underarm sweating known as primary axillary hyperhidrosis.

The hyperhidrosis procedure was at first meant for those who’s excessive sweating cannot be managed by strong topical agents (treatments that are applied to the surface of the skin) such as prescription antiperspirants. Botox for hyperhidrosis involves the injection of about 20-25 drops of Botox directly into the skin where the sweating problem occurs. Often times, in the span of 48 hours after the hyperhidrosis treatment, some people have shown remarkable results of up to an 80% decrease in excessive sweating in the sweating problem area. In the span of a week later, the sweating problem maybe resolved in a sizeable percentage of the people. Bad odor coming from excessive sweating of course also disappears as the two are like the conjoined twins of the sweating world. Cutting one sweating problem away will invariably lead to the death of the other in most cases.

The hyperhidrosis treatment has a few killer drawbacks. It is cost prohibitive as the procedure is quite a bit more then the average person can afford. Furthermore, to add to the cost, Botox for hyperhidrosis, is a temporary fix. Yes, you read that correctly. The hyperhidrosis procedure has to be repeated in 6-12 months for the maintenance of the sweating problem. There have also been heavier sweating in other areas after the treatment for excessive sweating. This sweating ‘karma effect’ has been reported often by patients of the hyperhidrosis procedure.

Another limitation of the Botox is that it can only really be applied to the armpits or underarm area as a solution for sweating. For example, with palm sweating or palmar hyperhidrosis, Botox is really too painful of a procedure to be practical. The discomfort of the process of the hyperhidrosis treatment in other areas of the body confines the procedure to the armpit area. So painful is it in other areas, most doctors will not even list it as an option for other areas of the body that excessively sweat.

Botox Patient: Botox for excessive underarm sweating is a post from: Botox Patient

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Is your medical spa using a new vial of Botox for every patient?

If your medical spa is using a new vial of Botox for every patient, yours will be the first medical spa or cosmetic practice of any kind that I've ever know to do so.

Here's a story from the Las Vegas Review Journal that specifically points out Botox as a 'contributor' to an outbreak of hepatitis C. Of course, if you read the story you'll see that some nurses were observerd 'reusing needles' that contaminated vials of Botox. A very different cause indeed from just using the Botox on multiple patients.

And of course, there's the cost, which almost every medical spa mentioned in the story. (You'd have to get all of your Botox from Canada to afford that.)

Single-use Botox vials used on more than one patient.

That practice at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, public health officials have repeatedly said, contributed to the hepatitis C outbreak in the Las Vegas Valley.

A phone call to inquire about the cost of a Botox party was greeted with this information: "It will be cheaper if all the partiers use the same vial."

One business that seems to be going well in Las Vegas is known for throwing Botox parties. That's an ongoing phenomenon across the country where friends get together and drink champagne while their wrinkles are needled away.

"We just couldn't handle it financially," said one medical assistant who asked to remain anonymous. "We would have gone out of business."

Medical assistants at two different spas said their owners only stopped multipatient use of single-use vials of Botox "until things quieted down" after the hepatitis outbreak was announced.

The Review-Journal had little trouble finding medical providers who said they and their companies knowingly broke state and federal regulations.

"You can't have doctors worrying about breaking the law or guidelines or whatever," Niamtu said.

A new company called Dysport is manufacturing a similar product, and the competition could force Allergan to provide smaller dosage vials to physicians who want them, he said.

Now a federal lawsuit filed in California by Las Vegas physician Ivan Goldsmith argues that sales representatives for Allergan Inc., maker of the popular anti-wrinkle drug Botox, promote multipatient use of its 50-unit or 100-unit single-use vials.

Goldsmith's lawsuit alleges that doctors can only make a profit using Botox if they reuse the single-use vials that the drug comes in.

Botox Patient: Posted from Laser Treatment MD

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Allergan Inc (AGN.N) on Thursday said its quarterly profit rose, as sales of anti-wrinkle drug Botox rebounded from an earlier slump and helped offset lower sales of medical devices.

The company’s third-quarter earnings increased 8 percent to $179 million, or 58 cents per share, compared with $165 million, or 54 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.

Excluding special items, Allergan earned 70 cents per share. Analysts on average expected 69 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company’s shares were up 1.2 percent at $54.20 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Allergan said global sales rose 4.2 percent to $1.13 billion in the quarter, somewhat higher than analysts’ expectations of $1.08 billion.

Sales of Botox rose about 3 percent to $328 million, following declines in earlier quarters that the company had attributed to waning use of cosmetic procedures during the economic downturn.

For full-year 2009, Allergan forecast earnings of $2.75 to $2.77 per share, excluding special items, compared with Wall Street expectations of $2.75 per share.

The company said it expects full-year sales of $4.35 billion to $4.4 billion, compared with Wall Street forecasts of $4.32 billion. (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson, editing by Dave Zimmerman)

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From Medical Spa MD: Understanding Botox & Injectables. Injectable products are an important contributing factor to your clinic’s financial success. With new products entering the market like Dysport and Evolence, and other exiting like ArteFill, it is important that your staff be knowledgeable of the products used in injectable procedures.

Although this chapter from the Advanced Medical Aesthetics Training Manual wasn’t actually requested in the training manual I wrote for the academy students, I felt it was extremely important for , especially for medical estheticians, to know the difference amongst the various treatments used to alleviate the appearance of wrinkles and folds, and the difference between dynamic and static lines.

Medical estheticians have the most “face time” with clients, examining it with magnifying lenses, treating it with exfolliants, moisturizers, galvanic current, high frequency, various acids, etc. They understand the realm of fine lines and wrinkles and know what can be alleviated with topical treatments such as facials, peels, microdermabrasion and laser resurfacing, and what cannot.

I cannot tell you how many patients call or come into our office with no knowledge of the difference between paralyzing agents such as Botox and Dysport, and dermal fillers. We take it for granted that we know the difference, but injectable products can be very confusing to the lay person. Because the aesthetician works with the client’s skin, they should be well versed in the differences in the two categories of injectables and the products that lie within. Estheticians become your most powerful education source for your clients which ultimately leads to an upsell for them (with possible commission).

Many people think all fillers products are the same, nor do they care to understand the difference between hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxylapetite. All they truly care about is “how long will it last” and will the “results look fake”. Only with proper education can the medical esthetician effectively and intelligently discuss the differences in the filler products, educate the patient about the effects and lasting results, and help lead the patient to the right product, or combination of products, for their expected outcome.

This information in this chapter is very important for your front desk/phone people as well!

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I came across this article from Australia on Botox and Restylane being injected in womens feet.

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There's a lot of Botox used around the world from sweating to headaches to wrinkles.

Here's a graphic from a Botox story on CNN.

In the hunt to discover the next blockbuster medical use for Botox, doctors have injected it experimentally into muscles and glands all over the body, making it medicine’s answer to duct tape. According to recent medical journals, physicians have used it to treat chewing problems, swallowing problems, pelvic muscle spasms, drooling, hair loss, anal fissures and pain from missing limbs.

“We see it as a molecule that keeps on giving. As we understand it more, it gives us new ideas of how to use it,” says Dr. Mitchell F. Brin, a neurologist who is the chief scientific officer for Botox at Allergan, the drug’s maker.

No other therapeutic agent “has so many demonstrated uses,” he says.

But some health advocates worry that doctors are widely adopting novel uses for Botox before federal guidance and rigorous clinical studies have established safe and effective dosages for the new treatments.

“It’s trial and error with a nerve poison,” says Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe, the director of the health research group at Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group. Last year, the group petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to require a warning label for injectable toxins.

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People are risking death or serious injury by using an illegal Botox equivalent without prescription, a CBD cosmetic doctor warns.

Dr Mario Soteriou, of Cosmetic Image Clinics, said self-administering the goods obtained at a new US-based online store was equivalent to playing “Russian roulette”.

He said neither the Botox equivalent nor the dermal filler sold on the website was approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, which also decrees the products must only be administered under medical prescription.

The website also sells needles and an instructional DVD to enable buyers to self-administer the do-it-yourself Botox equivalent, with the promise of wrinkle free skin.

The dermal filler is also being marketed with a DIY guide for plump lips.

Dr Soteriou, who has specialised in cosmetic medicine since 2000, said he was “severely shocked” by the shonky website.

He said injectable treatments such as Botox and dermal filler should only be administered by qualified practitioners.

“The big problem with these drugs is that we don’t know what they are made of and they can’t guarantee you safety or results,” Dr Soteriou said. “Self-administering them is essentially like making a life decision without putting any thought into it.

“I wouldn’t even advocate for doctors and nurses to be injecting themselves.

“You are also risking your own death if you have an adverse or severe allergic reaction to the drugs.”

Dr Soteriou believes the website is a “money grab” and fuels people’s desperate desires for quick-fix anti-ageing products.

“I’ve never heard of these products before and I attend a lot of medical conferences to ensure I’m up-to-date with the latest in facial rejuvenation techniques,” he said.

via Medical Spa MD: Fake Botox or not, Discount Medspa is going to jail!

 

Botox Patient: Posted from Laser Treatment MD

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