The Use of Counterfeit Products in the UK
There has recently been news in the aesthetics industry of the seizure of fake toxins, used for anti-wrinkle treatment, that have been found in circulation in the UK. This latest event is unfortunately not a one off, and is a reminder to aesthetic practitioners of the importance of ensuring all aesthetic products are sourced through recognised UK suppliers. It is also important for anyone that is considering aesthetic treatments, to be mindful that counterfeit and illegal products are sometimes being used on unaware patients. Below we discuss the risks involved with using counterfeit products, and the importance of using genuine and safely sourced products. Increasing awareness around this topic ultimately aims to protect consumers from potentially damaging their skin, health and overall wellbeing.
When purchasing aesthetic products, such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxins, it is extremely important for the clinician to consider a number of factors. These include safe storage and distribution, potentially imported or counterfeit products, and safe sourcing. A recent insightful article by @aestheticsassociates warns about the amount of - and how to spot - counterfeit products in circulation that are often advertised as extremely cheap treatments. Not only will counterfeit products have reduced effectiveness, the ingredients are essentially unknown, hence potentially very unsafe and more likely to result in adverse reactions from the patient. Aesthetics products, particularly toxins, have a specfic temperature range that they should be stored at to maintain their efficacy. UK pharmacies are regulated and monitored to ensure they are storing and distributing their products safely and within these temperatures. If the product has been imported from an unknown supplier abroad, these strict requirements cannot be monitored, potentially reducing the effectiveness of the product. Additionally, counterfeit products are often stored in unsanitary conditions, increasing the risk of patients aquiring infections following product use.
At Select Aesthetics, we very strictly only use products supplied from reputable pharmacies with prescriptions used where necessary. Our clients can rest assured that they will only receive treatments using genuine, high quality products that are safe to use giving effective and long lasting results.
Key red flags which may indicate a counterfeit, illegal or sub standard product is being used:
Very cheap treatments
Practitioners not being transparent/ having a discussion about the product brand and being used
Poor product packaging
Inconsistent branding
The absense of prescriptions where required i.e. Botulinum Toxins.
Read the full article at www.aestheticsassociates.com