PrintBy Shawn McKee
Staff Writer
Do you like to party? Start with good friends, finger foods, a few drinks and a couple of shots — of face poison.
Botulinum Toxin Type A is all the rage in the cosmetic procedure industry and is also injecting itself into the party scene. Botox (as the kids call it these days) is a weak solution of a deadly bacterial toxin that, when injected into muscle, causes paralysis for three to six months.
Doctors are using it to temporarily correct wrinkles in the face and neck for things like crow’s feet, forehead lines, frown lines and neck bands.
Botox injections are the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the industry, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). The ASAPS reports that there were 3,294,782 Botox injection procedures in 2005, up 16 percent from previous year. Botox is the top non-surgical procedure for adults 35 and up, and the next closest cosmetic procedure is laser hair removal at 1,566,909.
In a society that puts so much emphasis on looking young — and doing it quickly and easily — it’s no wonder that Botox has become the “next big thing.” The treatment takes between five and 20 minutes to perform, and results will usually be seen in three to seven days. In less than 20 minutes you can look years younger.
What’s easier than that?
A Botox party! That’s right. Finally, an exciting home version of your favorite cosmetic procedure. You’ll need a group of your closest friends (make sure they have some disposable income), some snacks, a few drinks (a little liquid courage never hurt before having a toxin injected in your face) and a doctor willing to take your money, er, I mean, perform the procedure.
So here’s how it works: It all starts like a Tupperware party, tell a friend, she tells two friends, she tells two friends and so on (it’s invite only). Now, it’s time for crab cakes, a little champagne and a discussion about Botox from the doctor. After that, the fun begins. Everyone takes turns getting Botoxed.
Before you rush out to throw your own Botox party, Dr. Joel Schlessinger, one of the nation’s most respected experts on cosmetic surgery, has a few words of warning:
“Botox parties may offer some benefit by reducing cost. However, unless proper measures are in place to ensure both the safety and effectiveness of treatments, I advise you to enjoy the party but get your Botox injections in your doctor’s office!”
He also supplies this list of seven things you should answer “yes” to before getting Botox (at a party or anywhere else for that matter):
In addition to being a founding member of the American Society for Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, Dr. Schlessinger is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He is a board-certified general cosmetic surgeon and dermatologist.
There have also been reports of unlicensed doctors performing the injections at parties, as well as fake Botox being distributed. You wouldn’t get laser hair removal in the back of some guy’s van, would you? Taking a risk to save a little money doesn’t always make sense.
Dr. Joseph B. O’Connell, chief of plastic surgery at Bridgeport Hospital and spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, delivers one final thought, “Flying is generally pretty safe, but if you put a bus driver behind the controls of a 747, bad things will happen.”
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