DIY cosmetic surgeries are becoming pretty big business. Social media has made it possible for people to share their experiences injecting themselves with Botox, lip fillers, and other enhancers.
Dermatologists are on the fence about this latest trend. On the one hand, during the last year it has become evident that some people can handle injectables on their own, with a doctor guiding them via video chat. Unfortunately, videos that make it look easy create the risk that these injectables can fall into the wrong hands and pose some serious health risks.
Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe is one of many who are sharing concerns about the rise in DIY injectable cosmetic adjustments she's seen as a result of people sharing their experience performing their own procedures online.
"I would strongly discourage people from doing this yourself at home," she told Inside Edition.
"I wanted to call attention to the fact that there are significant risks associated with what [a TikTok user] was doing in that video."
That's why Dr. Bowe reached out to the woman she saw doing her own lip fillers on TikTok. Renee Sprouse bought a HyaPen and shared her process. "Obviously [Bowe] has very strong opinions as a doctor, as she should. You're taking a risk," she acknowledged.
"I am one of the kinds of people that does that regularly."
Aside from the risks of allergic reactions and other complications, a lot of times doctors find patients simply do a bad job, which leaves the challenge of correcting it. "When it comes to injecting foreign substances into your skin, which could have potential complications, including infection, scar and blindness, I would think twice," Dr. Bowe noted.
However, some doctors do believe it can be DIY'ed with professional guidance and supervision. Dr. Stanley Kovak has worked with patients who did their own fillers during health crisis shutdowns. He argues that it's the same as any other guided procedure during telehealth, but he knows it's a controversial stance.
