Today, almost everything can be purchased online, and Botox isn’t an exception. This treatment received its first FDA approval back in 1989 when it was allowed to be used for medical purposes. Later, in 2002, the injectable was deemed safe to be used in aesthetic procedures as well.
But is it still legal to purchase it online? Are only doctors and nurses allowed to place an order? Which qualifications are needed to inject Botox? Let’s answer all these questions!
Who Is Allowed to Purchase Botox?
Botox is an injectable chemical solution based on botulinum neurotoxin’s ability to paralyze injected muscles. When used for aesthetic purposes, Botox cosmetic injection makes skin look smoother by reducing the appearance of mimic wrinkles and facial lines, as injected facial muscles don’t move that much.
According to the FDA law, Botox can be purchased either directly from its manufacturer (Allergan) or a licensed distributor. However, the manufacturer doesn’t guarantee the effectiveness and safety of the product that wasn’t purchased directly from Allergan.
The solution can be legally bought online by a licensed MD. It’s illegal to sell cosmetic injectables to people who weren’t trained to practice medicine or don’t have a prescription.
Can I Still Order Botox Online If I Don’t Have Medical License?
Botox can be ordered online by a person without medical education. However, he or she must have a prescription from a medical professional. Otherwise, buying the treatment on the Web violates the law.
Ordering from Canada and other countries is a bit more complicated. While the USA law doesn’t allow clients to buy medications and treatments from abroad, it does allow pharmacies to make shipments to American citizens.
This loophole in the legislation makes it possible for American patient to receive their orders from Canada without legal persecution. If an online shop doesn’t require a prescription or can’t give a lot and batch number of the package, most likely you’ve stumbled upon frauds.
What Training Is Required to Perform Botox Procedure?
A person needs to be medically trained to be allowed to make a Botox injection. Nevertheless, regulations vary, and the details depend on the state laws, thus more information can be obtained directly from them.
Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse
Registered nurses and nurse practitioners are allowed to practice Botox injections in medical spas or a doctor’s office. Direct supervision of a physician is required.
A nursing career can be built around aesthetic medicine. This is why, given the proper training, a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner (see the difference between a NP and RN here) is usually allowed to inject Botox and perform other minimally invasive aesthetic procedures as well.
Physician Assistant
A physician’s assistant is allowed to perform basic cosmetic treatments. Still, an assistant must receive proper Botox training first, and they must be supervised by a medical director.
Still, a state medical board can indicate direct observation as unnecessary, but a physician still needs to be within a certain range.
Licensed Physician
Often, board-certified dermatologists and plastic surgeons receive additional training in aesthetics. This allows them to benefit from the additional practice and learn the latest techniques of application.
Nevertheless, generally, the expertise of board-certified physicians is considered enough to perform the procedure.
In Conclusion
Even though botulinum toxin type A is dangerous in large amounts and can lead to serious health problems, in Botox, its amount is too small to cause damage. However, only medical professionals can administer injections of botulinum toxin products.
Physicians aren’t the only ones who can order Botox online, and a person doesn’t necessarily need to be medically educated to place an order. What they need, however, is a valid prescription from their medical professional.
If you can’t contact an online pharmacy or it doesn’t ask for your prescription, it isn’t worth your trust.
