Fake Botox Is Sickening Patients Across the U.S.

Public health officials are warning about the dangers of counterfeit botox products, which have been circulating and causing individuals to fall ill in several U.S. states. As of Friday, April 18, 22 people across California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, have reported adverse reactions to a counterfeit version of Botox (botulinum toxin). All of the individuals are female, ranging in age from 25 to 59.  [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Symptoms of the fake botox include blurred or double vision, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, constipation, incontinence, shortness of breath, weakness and difficulty lifting one’s head following the injection of these products. The symptoms are similar to those seen when botulism, a rare and serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves and spreads to other parts of the body. Eleven of the individuals affected have been hospitalized, and six were treated with botulism antitoxin due to concern that the counterfeit botulinum toxin had spread beyond the injection site. All but one of the individuals received the treatment for cosmetic purposes, and all victims reported receiving these injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings. The issue is twofold, says Scot Bradley Glasberg, President of The Plastic Surgery Foundation— low cost products produced in the counterfeit...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized News Desk Source Type: news