Two people in Illinois were hospitalized with facial paralysis and difficulty breathing after being injected with possibly fake Botox.
The LaSalle County patients presented to the hospital with symptoms including blurred or double vision, facial drooping, fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and hoarse voice after receiving shots from a nurse “performing work outside her authority.”
The key ingredient in Botox injections, widely loved for their ability to paralyze facial muscles and smooth wrinkles, is botulinum toxin, one of the most toxic biological substances known to man.
Botulism is a neurotoxin that can cause paralysis, breathing difficulties and even death if injected incorrectly or in too high a dose.
FDA-approved Botox is generally considered safe and complications are rare, but the state health department has warned hospitals to ‘be on heightened alert’ for similar cases of a botulism-like illness due to botched injections.
It’s not clear how many people were injected with what could be counterfeit Botox by an unqualified nurse, but the Illinois Public Health Department has warned area hospitals to be on high alert for similar cases of a botulism-like illness.
Botox is generally safe, but complications can arise if it is injected incorrectly or in the wrong dose. Whitney Buha, 34, from Chicago, Illinois, is pictured with a droopy eyelid after getting Botox
Both patients in Illinois, whom the Illinois Department of Public Health has not identified, were injected by a nurse licensed to practice in the county but not authorized to do so.
The injections were Botox or fake. Health officials haven’t confirmed it either.
If the injections were indeed real Botox, it is possible that the nurse injected too much of it, which could lead to excessive muscle weakness and symptoms consistent with botulism.
Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said, “Receiving these treatments in an unsanctioned, unsanctioned setting could put you or your loved ones at serious risk for health problems.
“Please seek only cosmetic services under the care of licensed professionals who are trained to perform these procedures and use FDA-approved products.
‘If you are experiencing health concerns after a recent cosmetic treatment, please contact your healthcare provider immediately for help and assistance.’
Megan Carlisle, 35, posted a video to TikTok showing the results of the Botox that left her chin ‘messed up’ with strange swelling and a bumpy appearance
Anything labeled Botox that does not come from manufacturer Allergan should be viewed with suspicion.
Legitimate Botox also lists the ingredient OnabotulinumtoxinA, while counterfeits have historically listed Botulinum Toxin Type A.
And while the injections are quick and relatively painless, they can go terribly wrong, resulting in a droopy eye or a chin with lumps and bumps, among other possible negative effects.
The news from Illinois comes just a few days after the Tennessee Department of Health announced his research to possible counterfeit Botox, which caused severe botulism symptoms in four people and landed two of them in hospital.
Tennessee officials said, “Similar botulism-like illnesses have been reported by multiple states. Ongoing investigations show that the product administered was counterfeit.’
Anyone who wants to go under the knife or be on the receiving end of a needle should go to a qualified medical professional who is licensed to administer Botox in that state.
In Illinois, where the cluster of botulism cases occurred, only doctors and nurses licensed and regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation can administer Botox.
The US market for Botox injections is enormous and is expected to grow from approximately $4.7 billion in 2023 to almost $6.7 billion by 2030.
The beloved procedure, which takes just a few minutes in a licensed professional’s office, is typically very safe, with bruising and some pain at the injection site being the most common complaints from patients.
Given the incredibly high toxicity of botulinum toxin, doses in syringes are typically measured in trillionths of a gram, and target carefully chosen spots on the face to paralyze certain muscles without delivering the substance to the central nervous system.
But if Botox is injected incorrectly, it can spread to unintended areas and cause symptoms related to botulism, a rare but serious disease in which toxins produced by the C. botulinum bacteria attack the body’s nerves.