Botox should only be given by licensed medical professionals using FDA-approved products, the agency warned<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, Nov. 6, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 U.S. regulators have issued warnings to 18 websites that were selling fake or unapproved versions of Botox and similar wrinkle-relaxing injections.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it took immediate action after receiving reports of people getting injured by the products, including cases of botulism.<\/p>\n
Botox<\/a> is made from a purified form of botulinum toxin, one of the strongest toxins in the world.<\/p>\n When it’s used correctly, it blocks nerve signals and relaxes muscles, which can smooth wrinkles or help treat medical conditions such as migraines<\/a>, eye disorders and muscle spasms.<\/p>\n The FDA also said the websites were advertising injectable products that looked like Botox but were not approved in the United States.<\/p>\n All FDA-approved Botox products come with the agency\u2019s strongest safety alert \u2014 a so-called boxed warning \u2014 because the toxin can sometimes spread beyond the injection site and affect muscles needed for breathing or swallowing, The Associated Press<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n That risk becomes even more dangerous when people receive products that aren\u2019t inspected, tested or handled by licensed medical professionals.<\/p>\n Symptoms of botulism can include trouble breathing or swallowing, slurred speech, muscle weakness and drooping eyelids.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cleveland Clinic has more on botulism<\/a>.<\/p>\n