How to Tell if Your Injector is Trustworthy or Not:

Advising everyone to do their research may seem like a basic rule of thumb to some. However, we are seeing more and more people come into the office and needing to be fixed up after receiving bad injections. Non-invasive procedures such as Botox and fillers are so common that one would assume they could simply trust just about anyone. Unfortunately, this is not the case.  In the following paragraphs, I will go over what research you should do before your appointment and what to watch out for during to tell if you have a trustworthy injector or not.

Pre-Appointment:

Before your injection appointment, it is absolutely necessary that you can check off all these credentials for your injector:

1. They must be performed by Registered Nurses (like Michele Hunter, ZONA Med Spa’s experienced injector), board-certified dermatologists, or plastic surgeons. Their license's are public record so you can verify
2. Have documented certifications of their knowledge
3. All around good reviews

Even though these aspects may lead you to a good and honest injector, there is still room to be wary of them. The next thing to be on the look out for are "too good too be true" deals on injectables. Now don’t be completely scared off by any sale on Botox or other injection treatments; there are respected and experienced injectors that will run legitimate discounts on Botox. However, if you see a "too good to be true" deal, it's because it could be. There's always a catch and it could mean one of four things that you need to be cautious of.

1. The injector could be using a copycat product that was imported illegally or a name brand product that isn't FDA cleared in the US
2. The practitioner could be using expired product
3. Could be over-diluting the product to cut costs
4. Could be an unexperienced injector trying to drum up business with steep discounts

In any of these situations, the results are not worth the saving. In fact you may end up spending more to fix it! Always remember, you get what you pay for. A good rule of thumb to follow is if Botox is $6 or below and Dysport is $2.50 or below, the product is more than likely questionable. Now, during the appointment is where having the knowledge from a little research could save you from bad injections!

During the Appointment:

1. Pay attention to the product being injected
2. Physically see the vial and that it is FDA approved
3. Know the basics of botox and fillers – Know what injectables can go where For example: Voluma can never go into the lips! The molecule is too large

Any knowledgable injector would know these basics. Although, there are many people in practice that still make dangerous mistakes.

What are the dangers of fake injectables?

If you’ve ever had Botox or Dysport done by an experienced injector, you already know that there are very minimal side effects. The risks start with an inexperienced practitioner. You could be left with asymmetrical or unnatural results.  The dangers continue if you buy fake injectables. These products are first, not FDA approved, thus they are not regulated or up to safety standards. Secondly, bogus Botox and Dysport could result in lumps, droopiness, Botulism poisoning, and even partial paralysis.We hope that this article was helpful to anyone thinking about injectables or anyone who are second guessing their current injector. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns, we are here to help!If this article was helpful, then click here and schedule a consultation with us today!