The practice of injecting botulinum toxin into the face to appear younger has been remarkably incident free considering how commonplace the procedure has become. But in November of 2004, four suspected cases of botulism linked to cosmetic botulinum toxin injections were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cases were a result of women being injected with an unlicensed form of the toxin, the toxicity of which, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Assocaition, was nearly 3,000 times the lethal human dose. The patients were said to have shown classic signs of the illness, such as progressive weakness, lack of facial muscle control, problems swallowing and shortness of breath. If left untreated, botulism can lead to respiratory failure and death.
"Botulism is a potentially fatal disease, regardless of the exposure mechanism. Suspected cases of botulism should be reported immediately to local health authorities to facilitate rapid provision of antitoxin when indicated, and prevention of further cases," say the study's authors.
Researchers emphasize that there are only 2 licensed botulinum toxins available - Botox (type A) and Myobloc/Neurobloc (type B) - for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes in the United States. And while the four patients were injected with the type A botulinum toxin, it was an unlicensed, highly concentrated form of the toxin specifically manufactured for lab research.
"Physicians and patients must be aware of the hazards associated with illegitimate use of unlicensed botulinum toxin products. Only licensed products should be used clinically," conclude the authors.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Association
