The Louisiana Department of Health has sounded the alarm after two people were hospitalized in counterfeit Botox procedures.
Botox, also known as botulinum toxin, is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. According to data collected by SpaMedica, a Canadian medical spa, and shared earlier this year, there were nearly four million Botox procedures performed in 2022.
While Botox can help smooth wrinkles and treat chronic migraines, when administered safely, it can cause serious health issues if the injections come from unlicensed sources or non-medical settings.
The Louisiana Health Department said in a Thursday news release that it received two separate reports of “severe illness” following Botox injections in September.
“One patient received injections of an unlicensed botulinum toxin product purchased online, and one patient received injections from an individual with unknown licensure in a non-medical setting,” the news release read.
The health department said both patients began experiencing “botulism-like” symptoms a few days after their treatments and were hospitalized.
Botulism is a rare but sometimes fatal illness caused by Botox, which attacks the body’s nervous system.
Symptoms of botulism include difficulty breathing and swallowing, muscle weakness, slurred speech, drooping eyelids and blurry or double vision.
The health department warned about cases across the country of people getting sick from counterfeit Botox. Officials advised against buying Botox from online sites or on social media, including TikTok.
“Medications purchased from unlicensed sources may be misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective, and/or unsafe,” the health department said.
When getting Botox, health officials advise patients to make sure their provider is licensed and trained to give injections and ask their provider to confirm they are using an FDA-approved Botox product obtained from an authorized supplier. The health department also warned against self-injecting the drug.
