BEAUTY SALONS AND CLINICS STILL BREACHING REGULATIONS SAYS LEADING MEDICAL EXPERT

A LEADING aesthetic doctor is warning those seeking wrinkle-free skin to beware of Botox bandits who are flagrantly flouting safety guidelines.

Dr Dan Dhunna, based at the exclusive Cawston Manor clinic in Rugby, believes some people’s quest for a fresher face may be putting their health in danger.

Recent guidelines from top healthcare bodies mean anyone undergoing Botox must have a face-to-face consultation with the prescribing physician.

The concern is some establishments may not be following this practice and injections are still being given without the expertise of a trained clinician.

Dr Dhunna, who has extensive experience in dermatology and cosmetic procedures and also provides training in Botox and other filler treatments, said: “Botox is a prescription only drug but before the guidelines many nurses and even beauticians and therapists were using a loophole in the system which allowed the issuing and use of a prescription without the prescriber actually seeing the patient.

“It seemed anyone could don a white coat, call themselves a cosmetic technician and start using injectables. Of course this was a major concern for health professionals and consumer groups. In the right hands Botox is extremely safe and effective but problems may occur if it is over-used, applied inexpertly or to the wrong places.
“There may also be cases where clients request and receive Botox but do not really need it, a situation unlikely to happen if a full doctor’s consultation is involved.”

After a thorough review of the non-surgical cosmetic industry and following calls for stronger regulation in the use of treatments such as Botox, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Council, which looks after the interests of the independent healthcare sector, doctor’s regulatory body, the General Medical Council and nurses body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, all agreed new guidelines last August for the prescribing and use of Botox.

Dr Dhunna said: “Face to face consultations with the prescribing doctor are now mandatory. The difficulty is there are no ‘Botox police’. It is up to the non-surgical cosmetic industry to adhere to these regulations voluntarily and there may still be some clinics or salons which are not doing that.

“Of course any doctor or nurse found to be operating outside of the guidelines can be disciplined.”

Botox, which is derived from a the botulism germ in much the same way that penicillin is derived from mould and contrary to myth is very safe.  It works by relaxing facial muscles for between four and six months, softening the appearance of wrinkles, is a very safe drug when administered correctly and professionally.  In less experienced hands it can cause problems.

Achieving that sought-after subtle, refreshed look is as much an art as a cosmetic application. Over-arched or drooping eyebrows, sagging lids, fixed, startled expressions or frozen, expressionless faces have all been reported as a consequence of badly administered Botox.

Even celebrities can fall foul of the overused needle. Sir Cliff Richard admitted to using Botox then abandoning the treatment after his eyebrow seemed to drop.

A fixed expression or droopy eyebrow may be the least of your worries. Internet sites have sprung up cashing in on public demand for lasting youth and beauty and offering DIY Botox kits for less than half the price of a professional treatments.

The risks are obvious, needles being used by people with little medical, chemical or anatomical knowledge and the possibility of contaminated samples. In Florida a medical practitioner bought some Botox online and gave it to his relatives. Two ended up seriously ill in hospital and the practitioner was jailed for 15 years.

Dr Dhunna said: “People wanting Botox injections, for their own peace of mind, and more importantly for their own health, should check that the establishment they are attending is following the safety guidelines.

“At Cawston Manor Clinic all injectable treatments are administered personally by myself after a thorough consultation so clients know all best practice procedures are being observed.”