“Are Botox parties safe?” is a common question that has floated around the internet and healthcare circles. Any provider you ask is going to have their own personal opinions and experiences on the topic. The goal is simply to give you as much information as possible so that you can make an informed decision for yourself.

So what is a botox party anyway?

A basic botox party is a social event among friends where a medical professional comes out to a residential address to inject botox and sometimes fillers. This medical professional could be a provider (physician, physician assistant/PA or nurse practitioner/NP), an aesthetics trained RN, or an aesthetician. In CO a PA, RN and aesthetician also require a medical director, which can be a physician or NP (excluding for PAs). Unfortunately, there are situations where the medical director is not present to supervise the party and ensure the safest practices. Depending on the level of experience and professionalism of the injector, the party may be more or less casual and more or less safe.

What can go wrong?

Typically botox is very safe if done by a well-trained individual, in a well-controlled environment. However, if not done in a clean environment like a medical office there can be risk for infection. A well-trained individual will be observed washing their hands or using hand sanitizer and donning gloves prior to injecting. They will also clean the area to be injected using rubbing alcohol or other similar products. The environment will be clean as well.

Risks of botox if not administered properly:

There is increased risk of bleeding and bruising when the patient has consumed alcohol prior to being injected so that should be discouraged. Informed consent, which is required for medical procedures, also needs to be done while the individual is sober.

Allergic reaction is very rare but certainly possible! Certain protocols are required to treat an allergic reaction and usually an office environment is required to keep these tools and medications.

Other common side effects like ptosis (eyelid droop), undesired numbness or paralysis, facial asymmetry, etc. will not show up until the product has kicked in. This can take several days to weeks to be at full effect. These mainly result from the technique used or if post-procedure instructions are not followed. However, if the injector is distracted (like at a party) then they are more likely to make a mistake causing one of these effects.

How can a Botox party be done safely?

Elite Medical & Aesthetics offers concierge services where you can bring your party to our office. This service is supervised by a Nurse Practitioner, a provider that has had extensive education and training and can prescribe and administer medications. Each individual is still consented and injected privately to allow for questions without any pressure from peers. No alcohol is allowed prior to informed consent and treatment.