Health experts slam home delivery botox services

Health watchdogs have criticised a service that takes botox to homes allowing people to get such treatments wherever they want.

London: Health watchdogs have criticised a service that takes botox and other treatments to homes and offices allowing people to get such treatments wherever and whenever they want.

Nurses will bring round the injections by bicycle or motorbike and party hosts are offered a discount on treatments if they can persuade up to five guests to have the face-firming jabs. Sally Taber, director of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service, which runs a register of approved providers, warned against hasty decisions at parties. “It is likely that the places will not be hygienic enough for these procedures. There will be inadequate aftercare and risk of infection,” the Daily Express quoted her as saying. According to industry guidelines, Botox and other dermal fillers should be administered by a registered provider in a clinical setting. Yet Nurse Specialists, which provides the “Botox by bike” service, promises to perform the treatments in the “comfort and privacy of your own home or office”. It charges 40 pounds for visits in London and 70 pounds for other appointments. “Nurse Specialists are fully qualified and insured to provide treatments within appropriate settings. Nurse Specialists are able to offer a responsive service, travelling by bicycle and motorcycle to meet you at a place of your convenience. We will arrive with everything we need to provide you with a safe and professional treatment in the place where you are most comfortable,” it says on its website. Public Health Minister Anne Milton last week urged clinics to sign up to the Treatments You Can Trust register of cosmetic practitioners so the public could choose recognised providers. A meeting at the House of Lords heard that rogue doctors were supplying make-up artists and beauty therapists with Botox and dermal fillers to perform unsupervised injections. Janet Kettels, European director of corporate affairs for Botox manufacturers Allergan also spoke out against ‘Botox parties’ and advised people against it. “We do not support nor supply Botox for sale or use in inappropriate settings such as ‘Botox parties’ in private homes or offices. We advise that injections should only be administered by qualified, licensed and trained healthcare professionals, who are based in a clinical, hygienic and professional setting,” he said. However, Nurse Specialists, which has been running for almost five years, says clients rate its service as “excellent and professional” with a high level of information about aftercare treatments. ANI