Experts warn of safety risks of illegal DIY Botox-like injections

People tempted by cheap Botox-like injections should avoid doing it themselves, experts have warned, to avoid the threat of "eyelid droops", infection and even botulism.

- Nicola Davis

The caution comes amid growing concerns over the availability of medication called Innotox, which is being sold illegally online in Britain.

Unlike Botox, which comes as a powder that must be reconstituted for use in an injection, Innotox is a ready-to-use liquid - making it easier to self-administer.

This week Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announced plans to introduce legislation cracking down on England's cosmetic "wild west", where there is scant regulation over who can deliver treatments such as dermatological filler and Botox.

Experts say Innotox is not licensed for use in the UK, unlike some other liquid Botox-like injections, meaning its quality and safety has not been assessed.

Aenone Harper-Machin, a consultant plastic surgeon and spokesperson for the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said the online availability of Innotox is "frightening", and cautioned against DIY jabs.

"People could be giving themselves eyelid droops and all sorts of weird asymmetries by injecting it in the wrong place, too deeply...[or] too superficially. You can inject it into your blood vessel and give yourself botulism."