Self-injecting Restylane medically unethical?

I have seen ads online from dermatologists and board certified plastic surgeons who advertise an injection price for the patient's own Restylane. I don't know who would contemplate self-injection unless they're going for a bizarre look, like the fad in subdermal implants. Is it medically unethical to inject the patient's own Restylane, or just risk of a malpractice suit if there is a problem?

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6 answers to “Self-injecting Restylane medically...”

A: MD injecting Restylane from a patient

By Harold J. Kaplan, MD - Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hi Scrippsgirl, No physician in their right mind would inject a product like Restylane when they're not sure from where it came. Restylane is a prescription drug that needs to be administered via a physician's office and injecting something brought in by the patient is unethical, a sure fire way to... more

A: Self-injecting Restylane is a really BAD idea!

By Joel Schlessinger, MD - Omaha Dermatologist

Any doctor who would encourage or allow this is stupid, and you don't want to go to them. Furthermore, anyone who would purchase something that could potentially harm them for life off the Internet and willingly inject it into their bodies is making a terrible decision.

A: This is a new low

By Mary Lupo, MD - New Orleans Dermatologist

This is quite unbelievable. Only a fool would inject a product that they did not purchase legally in the US and have control over it until used. This Restylane must be from another country, because in the US, only licensed physicians can purchase Restylane and Perlane. Any doctorwho would take these kinds of... more

A: Desperate times for some doctors.

By Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD - Los Angeles Oculoplastic surgeon

Dear Scrippsgirl Yes this would be unethical and it might be illegal. BT Barnum once said that "no one has ever gone out of business underestimating the intelligence of the American public." I suppose these doctors are encouraging you to obtain filler from the overseas market which might... more

A: Very Poor Idea

By Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD - Virginia Beach Dermatologist

This practice would be putting the patient and their physician at risk. Even if the Rest;ylane came with the same packaging it still could be fraudulant. For a physician to trust that the patient's source of Restylane is the same, but cheaper, than the physician's source could be a costly mistake.

A: Injector beware

By Otto Joseph Placik, MD - Chicago Plastic Surgeon

This just makes no sense to me. There is a certain supply chain which verifies the source of teh restylane. Imagine how complex and how good some of the fake watches and purses (made overseas) approximate the real thing. Now imagine how easy it is to make fake restylane ( a syringe with a label and a box)... more