Teens & Botox: A bad fad

This morn, Reuters reports that a consumer group, Public Citizen, is lobbying U.S. authorities to strengthen the health warning on Botox (made by Allergan) and its kin, Myobloc (Solstice Neurosciences). They would like to see a "black box" warning -- think similar to the warning on cigarettes -- on boxes that contain the substance.

Bad idea. Anyone who has ever gotten Botox knows that all you see is a needle coming at  your forehead. No doctor shows you a "Botox box." Though you do read about safety concerns on a sheet prepared by the doctor before you get your shots.

The group studied 180 reports submitted to the FDA and noted that the botulinum toxin had caused 16 deaths -- four of those fatalities occurred in patients under 18.

What? Who would inject a teen with Botox? Adolescence may be tough, but it can't furrow a damn brow. I can't imagine any Mom allowing her daughter to get Botox injections -- though I do know that Botox is used on kids with cerebral palsy to weaken spastic muscles.

I just called over to Beverly Hills Physicians and was told that "my daughter" would have to be 18 to get any sort of lip filler or Botox treatment. Over at Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery, they told me that they wouldn't treat anyone under 21. But at Cosmetique Med Spa in Culver City, the doctor got on the line and said that he would see my "17-year-old daughter" who was complaining about lines around her lips. He said it was up to me to consent to her treatment.

I bet that resourceful teens in L.A. could figure out how to get Botox.  My guess is that there are plenty of crazy parents in this town who would allow it for their children too. Plastic surgery among teens, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, is on the rise too:
In 1994: 10,000 procedures were performed on adolescents.
In 2006: 244,000 procedures were performed on patients between 13 and 19 years old.

Those stats, like, totally scare me.

Photo images: shuttterstock.com; "Heathers," New World Entertainment

Comments

[sad as hell]

This story says it all. Our country is so shallow. Even teens are worried about aging. I'm moving to Italy.

[Angela Segal]

As usual the hype is more interesting than the truth. The Orange County Register had an article Sunday, now this one today. Teens are more at risk for sexually transmitted dieseases, drug abuse and depression than cosmetic surgery. No one writes articles about the increasing numbers of teens taking ant-depressants. What about the teen girls taking birth control hormones that change their bodies (larger breast, and weight gain)? Come on America, let's make decisions based on the facts not some "big bad wolf out to control our minds" www.AngelaSegal.COM

[tom]

while this article's author wishes to think all doctors who perform Cosmetic Surgeries have sold their souls, I am a teen who is getting botox in 6 hours.

While it's not cosmetic, it saved my life, and let me return to school.

Yet it's misleading to pretend like something is superficial or a luxury of sorts because it's "cosmetic." ANY scar tissue or surgery that has led to lines is going to be deemed "cosmetic."

God forbid that doctor you called wasn't as cynical of your daughter's circumstance to dismiss her entire case without first seeing her in person. If only that doctor, which I can assure you has performed countless "cosmetic" surgeries that led people from walking around with stares because of the way they were born to being accepted in our society— leads a far more meaningful life than most.

God forbid someone actually helps people in a meaningful way. Yes, they spent 7 years in school+did double residencies so they could give everyone fatter lips.

Let's instead accuse doctors for bothering to actually see a patient before making a decision over the phone. Um, isn't the opposite less responsible medicine? As someone who has had birth defect scarring for much of my life, I'd like to tell you, these people change lives. What do you do? You dismiss their very purpose in life.

No, I don't have a problem with my doc fattening some girl's lips in-between letting me live my life, without dying of a seizure (oh, and thanks for including that as an after-thought preceded by a comma-- great justice there, eh?

Sorry, this is absurd. It is inappropriate, and it lacks any responsible level of journalism. (Did you bother to interview the doctor, before libeling his entire practice online?)

That doctor refused to make a decision before seeing your daughter in person first for an assessment.

You didn't.

Who's less responsible?