The pursuit of beauty and the search for 'the fountain of youth' is an endless battle for many women as they age. Dermal fillers and injectables are expensive and demand pricey upkeep, since most fillers are not permanent. Some women have participated in an alarming trend after observing their own surgeons in action, buying syringes, needles and numbing agents overseas. There are even lessons on "do-it-yourself" injections for various different injectables on sites like YouTube.com. This seems to save a lot of money, so why not?
The Dangers Of Do-It-Yourself Injections
The consequences of trying to save a few hundred dollars ends up costing several thousand dollars, or worse. Some women have become permanently disfigured as a result of their own vanity. Some mistakes are even impossible to fix.
- A woman by the name of Hang Mioku was a singer and Korean model who had her first plastic surgery when she was 28 years old. She was addicted to silicon injections for 20 years but then was able to get some from her doctor to do at home. One day, she ran out of silicon and used cooking oil, injecting more than 250 grams into her face. Her face became so distorted that children in her neighborhood called her 'standing fan' because of her swollen, big face and small body. Luckily, when her story was aired on Korean television, some sypathized with her and she was sent donations to have her face reconstructed. Three surgeries later, the size of her face is reduced, but scarred and permanently disfigured.
- Botox is a neurotoxin that works temporarily by paralyzing the muscles that cause wrinkling. William Atkins from Itwire.com reports that according to an Italian study done on Botox, the toxin does not stay where it is injected; but instead moves into the nervous system within the brains of patients. If this is the case, people who are self-injecting will face the possibility of bumps and lumps that don't smoothe out and may move around the face or even go to the brain. There is also the possibility of nerve damage or other complications.
- Restylane is hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally occurs in young skin. As women age, they have less of this substance in their skin, which holds water and makes it more supple. Restylane helps fill areas such as nasolabial folds or "smile lines," and also works to fill undereye troughs or hollows that give that tired look. Just as with any injectable, there are several complications that can present themselves such as lumps and bumpiness or even paralyzing the face.
- Silicon injections have lost their popularity because of all the complications; some can even be allergic to them.
Sources:
Accardi, Jim. Restylane - The Hollywood Makeover. October 2009.
Skin And Allergy News. Immune System Processes Can Trigger Silicone Reactions. February 2008.
Maya Trimner - Maya L. Trimner is a food-allergy awareness activist and portrait artist. She manages mayashappyplace.com, a safe place for people with ...
