The Dangers of Cosmetic Injections

By Jeany Miller

Many people agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Today's society, however, commonly prescribes the protocol of an alluring woman. She needs features like smooth skin, full and pouty lips and gentle curves that emphasize her femininity. In an effort to meet such demands, many women undergo cosmetic injections. Such a commitment to beauty is likely to come with costly side effects, some of which can permanently damage health or even cause death.

Potential Complications with Botox

Botox injections are some of the most popular cosmetic procedures available to women. Despite their promise to turn back the hands of time, these injections pose a series of grave side effects. These include the following:

Allergic reactions
Paralysis
Seizures
Loss of bladder control
Infection
Anxiety
Difficulty swallowing or breathing
Numbness or tingling around the treated area
Respiratory infection
High blood pressure
Droopy eyelid or eyebrow
Dizziness

Other temporary complications relative to Botox injections include face pain, nausea, headache, and swelling or bruising around the treated area. To this end, some patients cite no improvement after the injections are administered. This essentially means that persons may submit themselves to potentially life-threatening therapies that produce no results.

Unlicensed Persons who Administer Cosmetic Injections

While Botox itself poses a host of complications, a new kind of danger is presented by persons who illegally administer cosmetic injections. Individuals who do not have a medical license but sell unauthorized injections are the hosts of a black market cosmetic world. The cost of these injections is commonly thousands of dollars less than the prices charged at licensed clinics. This, and the ready availability of those injections, largely adds to the appeal of the black market. However, reports of death caused by black market cosmetic injections have led to a number of dealers being formally charged in criminal court. From New York to Florida, these persons have been sentenced to jail for negligent homicide. Their disregard for the law takes lives in some instances, and causes irreversible damage in others. Dr. C. Santiago Restrep with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has studied the black market of cosmetic procedures. He states, Since this is an illegal practice, it's very difficult to know how widespread or what the numbers are. Essentially, people could everyday be subject to the illegal administration of cosmetic injections.

Illegal Use of Silicone Injections

The black market of cosmetics is also responsible for a new and dangerous trend known as pump-up parties. These are popular among both women and transgendered men who desire a more feminine face or figure. Pump-up parties provide attendees with large quantities of silicone already placed inside syringes. Enthusiasts purchase the silicone and inject themselves in such areas as the buttocks and thighs. Liquid silicone used for cosmetic purposes has been legally banned in the United States since 1992. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration only approves one use for liquid silicone, and that is as treatment for a retinal disorder commonly linked to AIDS. This is because liquid silicone can kill, disfigure or permanently damage a person's health. A study cited at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America indicated 11 women or transsexuals suffered silicone pulmonary embolism and died after receiving liquid silicone injections. The study was conducted over a 15-year period and determined that silicone can travel through the body and land in the lungs. In short, silicone is a life-threatening way to acquire beauty.

Natural Alternatives to Cosmetic Procedures

Before undergoing cosmetic injections, people need to be aware of non-invasive alternatives. Such therapy as provided by massage, acupuncture and reflexology can yield beneficial results and improve unsightly flaws. These are also natural ways to diminish wrinkles and cellulite and keep skin looking young and healthy. Additional alternatives to avoid the dangers of cosmetic injections are as follows: