When neuromodulators—Botox Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin—are done right by the right person, they are fabulous; when done wrong, well, it’s kind of no-brainer that it’s not the best look. “‘Bad Botox’ or overdone Botox is a HUGE concern these days,” says Santa Monica, CA, dermatologist Karyn Grossman, MD. “Many people look at overfilled and overfrozen people in the media and are terrified that they are going to get that look as well. Neuromodulators have become very popular because of their ease of injection. However, just because it is easy to inject, doesn’t mean it is easy to inject well.”
Sign 1: You didn’t get the real deal.
For starters—and we can’t stress this enough—you should only go to a board-certified plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist to get any kind of injectable done. Beyond that, Troy, MI, plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, says he recommends asking your provider where the neuromodulator is from or doing a quick search online if you have doubts. “Ask whether the Botox was purchased directly from Allergan in the United States. This is really the most important question. You can also go online to see if the provider is listed under the Allergan website of official Botox providers.”Sign 2: Or you went for too “good of a deal.”
Dr. Grossman advises to be wary of “specials” that seem too good to be true, because they probably aren’t legit. “Maybe that practitioner isn’t using branded products—remember the chiropractor in Florida who sent people to the ICU injecting boot-leg product imported from China? Discounts are typically a sign that the injectors are using a blanket treatment protocol for everyone.”
