A director of the infectious disease at Baptist Health is telling people what to look out for after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about counterfeit Botox injections.
According to the CDC, 22 people have been affected by the counterfeit Botox and half of those people were hospitalized.
There are reports of counterfeit boxes in 11 states including Florida.
Dr. Shalika Katugaha is an expert on botulism. She explained what could happen if someone were to use the fake Botox treatment.
“When you get Botox and it’s done properly, It’s supposed to stay local. So, if you get it on your face for wrinkles, it’s only supposed to stay in that small local area. When you get this counterfeit product, then it may spread which is not what we want it to do,” Katugaha said.
If Botox spreads to other areas, it can cause adverse reactions such as blurred and double vision, difficulty swallowing or breathing and even difficulty lifting your head.
“If you get the worst symptom, which is shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing, those could be very serious. Now in these 22 cases that have happened, no one has died, but 11 patients have been hospitalized, and six required an anti-toxin. So, it can be very serious,” Katugaha said.
It’s best to avoid getting the injections in someone’s home or business that you can’t verify if they are licensed to administer the treatment that is used for various reasons.
“Let’s say if you’re getting it done for wrinkles, then you should go to a board-certified dermatologist. If you’re getting it for headaches, then you should go to a board-certified neurologist,” she said.
Signs to recognize counterfeit Botox include if it has lot number c3709 c3 on the carton or vial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it’s a fake.
It’s also considered counterfeit if the outer carton contains language that is not English.
Another way to determine if you have the real deal is to look at the active ingredients. If the box says Botulinum Toxin Type A, then it’s considered to be fake. However, it is said OnabotulinumtoxinA, then it is considered to be official.
Also, Botox treatments are not cheap; they can average hundreds of dollars. If someone is offering treatments for a much lower than average cost, experts warn that is a sign to avoid that person.