Warning in Illinois about Fake Botox
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted doctors in Illinois and nationwide about the fake Botox that is already linked to multiple cases of patients that have underwent a cosmetic procedure resulting in botulism symptoms. Due to this, Illinois officials and state regulators are investigating further deep the cases of those victims that underwent these procedures, as well as their post procedure consequences and results. The reason being that the severity of this got them hospitalized after they started showing symptoms of botulism from suspected counterfeit Botox.
Now, this disease is rare, however it is very serious and can definitely jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the affected person, it can even be potentially deadly. Some of the symptoms that this rare but very serious disease can cause are the following:
- blurred or double vision.
- droopy face.
- shortness of breath.
- difficulty breathing and hoarse voice.
Nonetheless, the Illinois warned about the fake Botox resulting in botulism to healthcare providers, state health officials have now seriously urged healthcare providers and especially the emergency health department to be very attentive for patients that are experiencing these symptoms that strongly resemble botulism.
About the Recent Cases
Now, these cases did not just occur in the state of Illinois. According to the CDC they are coordinating a “multistate outbreak investigation into a few botulism-like-illnesses in several states.” To which, these counterfeit Botox results were caused by botulinum toxin injections, that are commonly called Botox. Unfortunately, these procedures were not conducted or provided in a medical office. Unfortunately, the victims have reported to have fallen ill right after they received their injections. The states where there have been reports include,
- Illinois.
- Colorado.
- Kentucky.
- Washington.
- Tennessee.
More specifically about some of the victims, two individuals were hospitalized. Subsequently, they reported experiencing symptoms similar to botulism, stating that they felt fatigued, had difficulty breathing, had double/blurred vision, etc. In fact, from the medical perspective, they both received their injections from a license nurse in LaSalle County who was actually performing work outside of her authority. Keep in mind, in the state of Illinois, the injection of botulinum toxin, which is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is the main ingredient in Botox, is a practice of medicine that can only be performed by “certain” licensed professionals who are medically and certainly licensed and regulated.
Awareness and Knowledge About Cosmetic Treatments and Procedures
Furthermore, clostridium botulinum, an ingredient in Botox, is a nerve toxin that relaxes facial muscles, those that would otherwise cause future wrinkles. Botox is known and considered to be safe usually, however, if too much is injected in the wrong places, it can definitely be risky and dangerous for the patient, according to the CDC. In fact, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, warnings about medical procedures at unregulated medical offices or with unlicensed professionals are considerably rising.
This is why residents need to be aware of the consequences and do their research thoroughly about the cosmetic procedure that they are about to go under. Dr. Sameer Vohra, IDPH Director states,
“Illinois residents should exercise caution when considering cosmetic treatment, receiving these treatments in unlicensed, unapproved settings can put you or your loved ones at serious risk for health problems. Please only seek cosmetic services under the care of licensed professionals trained to do these procedures and who use FDA approved products. If you are experiencing any health problems after a recent cosmetic treatment, please contact your healthcare provider immediately for help and assistance.”
This is why it is extremely important to be cautious and carefully consider the treatment and procedure, due to the serious consequences that they can have. Also, like Dr. Vohra said, always contact a professional health care provider for these procedures and immediately go to the ER if experiencing side effects after receiving services of any type of cosmetic procedure. Also, in order to prevent malpractice from providers that claim to be “professional” cosmetic doctors.
Written by Jeanette Sanchez
Sources:
NBC News: CDC expected to alert doctors about fake Botox
NPR Illinois: Illinois officials warn of botulism symptoms from possibly counterfeit Botox
KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis: 2 hospitalized following injection of Botox-like substance in Illinois
Peoria Journal Star: Illinois issues warning on cosmetic procedures after 2 hospitalized with botulism symptoms
NBC News: Fake Botox injections may be behind Illinois hospitalizations
New York Post: Fake Botox is making people sick- here’s what to know
Featured Image Courtesy of Skeyndor Flickr Page – Public Domain License
Inset Image Courtesy of Focal Foto Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
