When the economy slows down and shrinks, as it has been doing lately, discounts become more frequent and more attractive. You may have seen some advertising for low-price BOTOX treatments or cheap skin treatments using dermal fillers like Restylane®.

Perhaps you have also seen recent news about Heparin imported from China which caused deaths and various furniture items made in China which injured babies. It need not be China who exports defective products to the U.S. They could come from anywhere.

When the FDA approves a medication or a treatment substance like BOTOX, it approves a specific form of it, tested in specific ways in a certain sequence of test phases, all supervised by FDA officials. So BOTOX or Restylane made in a different way or under less safe conditions is not included in what the FDA approves for U.S. consumption.

Certainly there are generic versions of medications that we can buy at a cheaper price in a drug store or supermarket. These have also been vetted by the FDA. Unlike medications, cosmetic substances do not have legal, cheaper versions. FDA-approved drugs and devices are sold to all physicians at set prices. There are no bona fide sources for a cosmetic surgeon to obtain the genuine items at a low price and then pass the discount on to clients.

Substances are imported illegally into this country all the time – products made with sub-standard ingredients, in unsafe environments or by untrained workers. Why risk your good health by using them when the real thing is available?

Dr. Rai keeps to the highest standards of client safety and product purity. We offer both BOTOX and Restylane and we recommend them both as excellent ways to rejuvenate the face. If you would like to know more about them, please contact our cosmetic surgery office today and schedule a personal consultation.