Fake Botox and Dangerous Side Effects: Why Stronger Rules Are Needed
There is a growing danger from counterfeit Botox and untrained injectors. Without stronger safety rules and better enforcement, more patients will face serious health risks.”
BELO HORIZONTE, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL, September 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A popular beauty treatment can be more dangerous than many people realize, especially when used by the wrong person. A study published in SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine® found a number of cases of people getting injured from fake Botox or from injections given by people who are not trained using the best techniques.— Dr. George Kroumpouzos
When Botox is not given correctly, the toxin can spread through the body and cause serious problems like weak muscles, droopy eyelids, and trouble breathing. Many of these people were treated in places like home salons or spas, where untrained workers used fake or unapproved products.
Researchers looked at over 300 patients from countries including the United States, China, Bulgaria, and the United Kingdom. Most people started feeling sick within three days of their shots, and almost half had to be hospitalized. No one died, but the study showed a clear pattern of unsafe practices, fake and counterfeit products, and weak safety rules.
In the United States, laws about who can inject Botox shots are different in every state, and in some places, people who are not doctors are allowed to give these injections. Poor enforcement makes it easy for fake products to spread. Other countries also have problems with fake products, weak tracking, and few consequences for breaking the rules.
Based on this study’s findings, stronger safety rules, better enforcement, and more education to keep patients safe are clearly needed. Only approved products should be used, and clear rules should explain who is allowed to give Botox shots. Without these changes, fake products and untrained workers will continue putting people in danger.
SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine® is a peer-reviewed online medical journal that is the official journal of The National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. The mission of SKIN is to provide an enhanced and accelerated route to disseminate new dermatologic knowledge for all aspects of cutaneous disease.
For more details, please visit www.jofskin.org or contact jofskin@gmail.com.
Counterfeit Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Iatrogenic Botulism: Emerging Threats that Require Regulatory Reform. J of Skin. 2025;9(5):2574-2583. doi:10.25251/kkby0454
George Kroumpouzos, MD, PhD, FAAD
Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais
gk@gkderm.com
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