SEATTLE, WA –It was just discovered that the administration of fake Botox
injections was the cause of death of a Salinas, CA woman who died several
months ago. The deceased woman had received fake Botox injections from her
hairstylist, who was also an unlicensed practitioner. The
hairstylist, Martha Vasquez, 39, has since been arrested and is awaiting
possible manslaughter charges.
Authorities believe Vasquez advertised the fake Botox injections to
customers who were seeing her for haircuts, and administered the injections
at her clients’ homes.

Botox injections are one of the most popular and commonly administered
cosmetic treatments. Thousands of people are injected with Botox everyday to
reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Despite the fact that Botox injections
have become so widely available and treatments are now subject to price
wars, what happened in California confirms that consumers of Botox need to
take precautions.

Patients must ensure they are receiving treatment from not only licensed
medical providers, but providers who are properly trained and qualified.
Consumers should conduct research prior to choosing a qualified provider for
Botox, as well as for all cosmetic medical treatments. When it comes to
medical treatment — the least expensive choice is not only not the wisest,
it is also not always the safest.

Patients should also be proactive in ensuring that the Botox they are
receiving is authentic. “Allergan has a number of measures in place to
ensure the integrity and authenticity of BOTOX®, and there are important
steps patients should take to protect themselves from unscrupulous and
unethical practitioners,” said Douglas S. Ingram, Allergan’s Executive Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary.

Authentic Botox from Allergan contains a holographic film on BOTOX® vials.
To view the hologram:

1) Examine the vial under a light source
2) Rotate the vial back and forth, and look for horizontal lines of
rainbow color on the label
3) Confirm the name “ALLERGAN” appears within the rainbow lines