‘The Botox party bill': Legislation introduced following KXAN's ‘Backroom Botox' investigation
The legislation comes after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone can become certified to do injections, including Botox, and the need for more oversight for patient safety.
The committee learned the details of Senate Bill 378 from State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, who is also a medical doctor. He filed the same bill last session before it stalled after passing the Senate.
'I'll call this the Botox party bill,' said Schwertner, whose proposed legislation would prevent barbers, cosmetologists, and estheticians from administering Botox and other injectables unless they are licensed or authorized to give the shots.
'There have been increased reports of estheticians administering unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and family without proper physician supervision,' Schwertner stated.
In May, KXAN's 'Backroom Botox,' highlighted a medical emergency under investigation by the police department in Dublin, a small city north of Austin. A woman who wanted her privacy protected told KXAN investigators that she had fainted after getting a Botox treatment in the back room of a shop in town.
According to the EMS report, the 'Backroom Botox' procedure resulted in Dublin woman having a five-minute seizure and vomiting.
The supervising physician listed for the Dublin Botox provider was a pediatrician, over three hours away.
Schwertner said his bill focuses on patient safety and the need for clearer regulatory oversight and disciplinary jurisdiction over cosmetologists and estheticians administering unauthorized injections.
RELATED: Texas pushes to tighten rules for Botox, similar treatments
If passed, Schwertner's bill would give the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation the statutory authority to take disciplinary action against those administering unauthorized injections.
'Somebody needs to be regulating what's going on,' said Dr. Patricia Aronin with TX400, a grassroots group of doctors advocating for patient safety across the state.
Aronin, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon, spoke in favor of Schwertner's bill at the committee hearing this week and explained the risks and consequences associated with getting injections from providers who don't have the proper medical training or experience to safely do so.
'We can teach a monkey to operate, it's learning who and on what procedure and when and how to manage complications that take all the years of training,' Aronin said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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a day ago
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Blindness, paralysis and necrosis: What to know before you get Botox and filler
Ministers are calling for a crackdown on "cowboy" cosmetic practices. The government is calling for tighter regulations of the cosmetic surgery industry, in a bid to crackdown on "cowboy" practises. Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery has the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, with the injected fat in some instances causing pulmonary embolisms – as was the case in January last year, when 26-year-old mum-of-three Demi Agoglia died after undergoing the treatment in Turkey. But other popular treatments, such as Botox and dermal fillers, still carry risk. Just last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an update on the rise in botulism cases, a rare but life-threatening condition caused when toxins attack the nervous system. 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If you're considering cosmetic injections, then, here's what you need to be aware of. 9 things to know before getting Botox and filler 1. Botox is a brand – and a prescription drug Botox is a brand name that has become synonymous with anti-ageing treatments. But while Botox is the leading producer of botulinum toxin A, a prescription-only drug, other companies also supply the substance, and more still purport to be offering this anti-wrinkle solution, when in fact they're offering counterfeits. Due to the rise in botulism cases of late, the UKHSA has launched an investigation into fake products and products that have not been licensed and cleared for use in the UK. They are also seeking to curb self-administration, as this, too, has risen in recent years. 2. ...but right now, anyone can administer it in the UK As well as what is being injected, one of the main causes of concern is who is administering the treatment. While the drug itself requires a prescription, under current UK law, anyone can administer it. You've no doubt heard of so-called "Botox parties", popularised in the early 2000s. Equally, some clinics may have untrained staff performing such treatments. As part of its new crackdown, the government is looking at stricter criteria for those who inject and a local authority licensing system. One of the obstacles in getting tighter restrictions in place to date has been the perception around such procedures. Despite it being a lucrative and highly popular industry, these procedures are largely seen as non-essential and, therefore, have not been readily available on the NHS or governed in the same way. They are generally subject to VAT as well, meaning that while botched procedures have reportedly cost the NHS an estimated £1.7m in a year to fix, the government also receives revenue on these treatments. 3. Ask how many times your practitioner has performed these procedures Even if the person treating you is a doctor, nurse, dentist or surgeon, it doesn't mean they are necessarily trained in this area. Before you take the plunge and have treatment, be sure to ask the practitioner how many years they have been performing Botox and dermal filler treatments for cosmetic purposes, and how many patients they have worked on. Also ask to see examples of their results. 4. Botulinum toxin can cause blindness While rarely reported, botulinum toxin A can cause vision impairment and loss if administered incorrectly. 5. It can also cause necrosis Again, although rarely reported, botulinum toxin A can cause myofascial necrosis, or the death of muscle tissue in the face. When necrosis occurs, it cannot be reversed. 6. And patients can go into anaphylactic shock Generally speaking, if administered properly and safely by trained and experienced practitioners, anti-wrinkle injections are perfectly fine. However, in some instances, botulinum toxin A can cause anaphylaxis – even if a person has not reacted to the substance in the past. 7. Muscle atrophy is another potential side-effect One of the known potential side effects of Botox is muscle atrophy, which is the wasting or thinning of muscle mass. It can also lead to numbness, muscle weakness and a tingling sensation. This is largely down to how Botox works: by blocking the message from the muscle's nerve to the brain to temporarily paralyse it and prevent it from contracting and, therefore, deepening wrinkles. 8. Some fillers aren't safe Generally speaking, dermal fillers have become far more sophisticated in recent years and technologies have thankfully moved on from the days of silicone and paraffin. Nowadays, most dermal fillers are made from hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally-occurring substance found within the body that attracts and retains water, in turn creating volume, structure and plumper, hydrated skin. That's not to say there aren't risks associated with them, though. Beyond the usual side-effects of swelling, bruising, redness and itchiness in the treated area, there is some evidence that suggests that HA-based fillers can block lymphatic channels, which help the body drain fluid and fight off diseases. Researchers in the US have also found fillers to be linked to cysts, lumps, swelling and facial pain. They are also planning research to see whether the treatment affects the risk of diseases, including cancer. 9. You can end up looking puffy and overfilled Although "pillow face" and "duck lips" aren't necessarily a health risk, they aren't exactly pleasant side-effects. They occur when too much product has been applied, or when the product hasn't been spread in the treated area effectively with the cannula. Due to the influence of reality TV and social media, these treatments are on the rise, and patients are getting younger and younger. Many young people who have undergone these procedures, however, are now seeking to reverse them – including Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague, who revealed to fans that she was having her lip filler dissolved in 2020. Read more about cosmetic surgery: Unlicensed Botox-like injections spark outbreak of disease many doctors have never treated (Sky News) The hidden health risks of lip fillers (The Conversation, 4-min read) Botox alternatives: Do they work? Derms weigh in on the best ways to fight wrinkles (Yahoo Shopping)
