Wine, food and Botox
Invited to a Botox party in your neighborhood? You may want to think twice before accepting the invite.
While Botox is a popular treatment for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, Dr. Stephen Madry, a plastic surgeon on staff at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill. warns, “Botox parties are used as a marketing tool for cosmetic practices. Quite often, food and alcohol are served to entice more people. This raises questions about a patient’s ability to understand the risks associated with the drug.”
While Botox injections are relatively safe, possible side effects include:
- Pain, swelling or bruising at the injection site
- Headache or flu-like symptoms
- Droopy eyelid or cockeyed eyebrows
- Crooked smile or drooling
- Eye dryness or excessive tearing
Dr. Madry is also concerned that the parties do not allow enough time with an individual patient to truly evaluate his or her needs. “I personally do not offer Botox parties and prefer to spend the time a patient needs to understand their options,” he explains.
If you are considering Botox, ask your primary care doctor or look for a doctor who has experience with Botox treatments. He or she will go over your medical history as well as explain the possible risks and benefits to help you determine if Botox is right for you.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
