The cost of living crisis is driving people to DIY injectables

Yikes

As the cost of living crisis forces many of us to cut back on our high-maintenance to stay low-maintenance routines, some people are refusing to give up their injectables and turning to DIY options.

Many of us are pushing back our hair appointments, trying at-home laser machines, using self-tan, painting our own nails and filling in our eyebrows instead of getting them tinted thanks to the cost of living crisis.

But some people are taking DIY cosmetic treatments a step too far, attempting to save money on their regular injectables by doing them at home. 

The marketing of injectables as ‘preventative’ has seen many people having them done every three to four months.

Social media is now concerningly full of people instructing others how to do their own injectables at home as a way to save money – some talking to camera before and after, while others keep the camera pointed at them as they stare at themselves in the mirror and insert a needle into their forehead and near their eyes. My face tensed up just watching. 

Needless to say, it’s dangerous to inject a solution into your own face, and cosmetic injectables need to be administered by authorised practitioners.

A TGA spokesperson says, “Most products used in cosmetic injections contain prescription-only substances contained in Schedule 4 of the Poisons standard and therefore require a prescription from a registered health practitioner.”

They “strongly advise consumers not to use prescription medications or medical devices offered or issued without a prescription from a health practitioner”.

The issue of unsafe injectable treatments isn’t specific to Australia either. Image: Getty

How dangerous are DIY injectables?

There have been several reports in the last few years of people being hospitalised after receiving injectables at their home or other unlicensed premises. 

The issue of unsafe injectable treatments isn’t specific to Australia either. A past president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) told Allure, “There’s many people out there injecting themselves.”

And unsurprisingly, there’s a long list of things that can go wrong with DIY injectables. 

There’s a risk of redness, bruising, swelling, muscle drooping, infection, blocked blood vessels, tissue damage or death, nerve damage, stroke and blindness if the procedure is botched. Image: Getty

Facial plastic surgeon Laura Garcia-Rodriguez told the publication she has treated issues such as a ‘marble-sized lump’ in someone’s lip after at-home lip injections and a “dead nose” after someone tried to inject into their own nose. 

There’s a risk of redness, bruising, swelling, muscle drooping, infection, blocked blood vessels, tissue damage or death, nerve damage, stroke and blindness if the procedure is botched.

The added risks of buying injectables online

There’s also a chance that the injectables being illegally sold online don’t contain the chemicals they claim to. 

Importing unapproved medicines and medical devices into Australia for personal use can put consumers at serious risk of unpredictable or severe adverse reactions. These medicines have a higher chance of being substandard or counterfeit (fake).

The TGA spokesperson says, “The TGA is concerned about the health and safety of Australian consumers accessing unregistered or unapproved therapeutic products from unknown websites, social media, or other digital platforms.”

“Importing unapproved medicines and medical devices into Australia for personal use can put consumers at serious risk of unpredictable or severe adverse reactions. These medicines have a higher chance of being substandard or counterfeit (fake).”

According to The Guardian, in ‘2023-24 the TGA received more than 99 referrals from Australian Border Force after it intercepted cosmetic injectables being sent into Australia.’

Evidently, there’s a good chance the product advertised online isn’t the medical-grade product it claims to be.

Health-practitioner-led consultations will consider a patient’s individual needs, medications, and general health, and whether the provision of a prescription, such as cosmetic injectables, is appropriate. Image: iStock

President of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Dr Lily Vrtik told the publication, “You could get anything in an unregulated product, a different dose, a mix of medications or even unprocessed medications that has not removed the non-therapeutic or the harmful component.”

If you’re considering cosmetic injectables, the TGA spokesperson says, “health-practitioner-led consultations will consider a patient’s individual needs, medications, and general health, and whether the provision of a prescription, such as cosmetic injectables, is appropriate.”

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has published tips to help consumers make informed decisions when considering cosmetic injections on their website, which provides more information on the risks and considerations for cosmetic injectable treatments.

Originally published as The cost of living crisis is driving people to DIY injectables