Can a Primary Care Doctor - Internal Medicine, Inject Juvederm Fillers and Botox Cosmetic?

Question

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

"Can a Primary Care Doctor inject Botox?" is a different question than "Should a Primary care Doctor inject Botox?" The answer to the first question is yes, the answer to the second is obviously not. A Primary Care Doctor has no formal training in injectables, no formal training in facial anatomy, no training in surgical/ nonsurgical aesthetic facial rejuvenation during residency or post-graduate medical education. Although your Primary care Doctor is likely to be less expensive than your Facial Plastic Surgeon or Plastic Surgeon, the results may be unpredictable. The companies that produce neurotoxins and fillers cannot regulate who they sell their products to and in the State of Florida, a license to practice Medicine allows any Doctor to perform Aesthetic Medicine. However, I don't deliver babies and I don't take out gallbladders since I don't have any particular expertise in doing so. The same logic should apply to injectables, but poor reimbursement in medicine has changed the rules.

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

Legally any physician with a license can inject dermal fillers and Botox but the question is should they? It really depends of training and experience. A License doesn't make you a good injector. It's having an eye and the touch for aesthetics as well as skill and training. Typically a Plastic Surgeon and Dermatologist have advanced training in Skin Rejuvenation methods and placement of product.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Certainly, it is allowed for an internist to do cosmetic injections, but wouldn't you rather have the expert's expert do the treatment on you? Dermatologists and plastic surgeons do the most treatments with fillers and botox. Having a good understanding of the anatomy and how the fillers / botox work help your expert give you a better treatment.

Misbah Khan MD, FAAD, FACMS · Answer

anyone with a medical license CAN perform these procedures. but they SHOULD NOT! its not that they cant, its the fact that they dont know how to handle complications. fillers and botox and other minor cosmetic procedures are not 100% safe. if they were, AMA would allow a lay person to inject. and these products would not be so heavily regulated. the truth is these procedures have their own baggage of side effects and those are very scary, including but not limited to something as severe as permanent vision loss and disfigurement. I have seen it and treated it myself on patients coming from other facilities. just be careful.

Scott C. Sattler, MD, FACS · Answer

In most states, there is no restriction on in-office practices for physicians - internal medicine docs can inject Botox and fillers. This is out of the scope of their training. But some docs get quite good at these procedures. The real question is what would this physician do in case of a severe complication from filler or Botox injection. Could this doc handle that situation. If the answer is no, then I would argue that the physician is practicing out of their scope of practice. Just my opinion.

William P. Mack, MD · Answer

Yes, any MD, Dentist, DO, Nurse Pract. and PA can inject facial fillers as well as products like that of BOTOX Cosmetic. I highly recommend anyone interested in doing any facial rejuvenation should consult with a facial cosmetic surgeon among the other physicians they are considering. We see many patients who have had prior treatments "gone wrong" by doctors who were trained in other areas of the body.

Benjamin Barankin, MD, FRCPC · Answer

Sadly any doctor can inject botox or fillers like juvederm or restylane. However, you certainly get what you pay for, and the cost of correction can be significant financially and emotionally. Make sure to have a dermatologist or plastic surgeon inject you for optimal results (e.g. beauty, proportions), and safety (less swelling, bruising, or other more serious problems). I spend a good part of my day fixing the mistakes of poorly trained nurses and doctors who are injecting these products "just because they can." Be smart, this is your face, value it.

Steven Hacker, MD · Answer

Physicians should be trained by appropriate residency, fellowship or post graduate courses with live demonstrations. They should be trained by thought leaders in the respective fields. Onca a physician has undergone training that is appropriate , he or she should have the experience and knowledge to treat any potential complication of the treatment they offer.

Micki Ly, MD · Answer

of course they can,

	 

	skin specialists like md dermatologist get 3 yrs of added training to mgt skin

	 

	cost is very similiar for both

	 

	 would you have more trust in your dermatologist to mgt the  areas of training of your prim care md  if  they offered to do it .

	 

	training comes with a price,  3 yrs  of added training for skin specialist that includes injections   can not be replaced with i can do that offer

	 

	we all have our opinion and this is only one

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

Although legally, any MD, DO, Dentist, Nurse Practitioner, PA (with supervision), can inject Botox and Juvederm, it doesn't mean that they are properly trained, or that you will get a good results. In life in general, you "get what you pay for". Same is true with these treatments. If this is your face, which you wear 24/7, why chance the results with someone that went to a weekend or 2 training session or who does this on the side of his regular practice to make some "extra money". Go to someone that does this full time, who trained for years on the anatomy of the face. More importantly, although rare, complications can occur, and at that point, you wished you'd gone to that Plastic Surgeon or Facial Plastic Surgeon. As an aside, "Botox parties" are usually not a good idea either. The facility is not properly equipted for emergencies, and the lighting and patient chair are suboptimal.

Can a Primary Care Doctor - Internal Medicine, Inject Juvederm Fillers and Botox Cosmetic?

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Answers (15)

More Juvederm Questions

Juvederm Making Eyes Appear Smaller?

Juvederm for Acne Scars Left Skin with Bumpy Appearance - is This Common?

Is It Possible for Juvederm to Have an Impact on Bloodwork?

Cross Linker in Ha Fillers (Juvederm/Restylane)?

Wavy, Bumpy Bottom of Top Lip After Filler - What Has Gone Wrong? (photo)

Massaging Lumps After Juvederm?

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
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