Latest news with #Botox
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue urgent warning over popular Botox treatment as they say women are taking 'ridiculous risks' and face paralysis, blindness and even death
Doctors have issued an urgent warning over a growing trend – driven by social media – for self-injecting the anti-wrinkle treatment Botox. Sounding the alarm, experts say that the practice risks serious allergic reactions, paralysis, long-lasting swelling and could even prove fatal.
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Woman left in agony by rare condition that stops her being able to burp
Lucy Hodson a singer from Hertfordshire, says the rare condition left her with painful bloating and sounding like she had a "frog trapped in her throat" - but has hailed Botox for changing her life A woman says she's left in constant pain from a rare condition that prevents her being able to burp. Singer Lucy Hodson, 27, has hailed a £900 botox injection for changing her life after spending years suffering pain and humiliation from the ailment, which left her sounding life she had a "frog trapped in her throat". Lucy - who performs under the name Lumarie - says the condition would cause painful bloating, a sensation of bubbling in her chest, and leave her making " weird" noises. They were so embarassing she would avoid attending meditation classes. "It sounded like there was a little frog sitting in your throat trying to get out but it's trapped in there," Lucy, from Hertfordshire, said. The condition even stopped her from enjoying food and drink – and eventually began to impact her singing career, reports the Manchester Evening News. "I got a lot of bubbling sensations in my chest and throat that would make me feel sick and stop me from being able to sing properly," she added. "It was so bad that it was all I could focus on because it was just so intense." For years, Lucy said she had no idea what was wrong and believed it was simply a "quirk" that set her apart from school friends. However, she eventually began to experience difficulties with her voice that led her to see a doctor. After waiting more than a year for an NHS appointment with an Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, she was "frustrated" to only be told she was suffering with acid reflux – but says that diagnosis "didn't make sense". Instead, she turned to the internet, where she finally discovered retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD), a condition only formally recognised in 2019. Known as "no burp syndrome", it occurs when the upper oesophageal sphincter fails to relax, stopping trapped air from escaping. Online support groups, including a 37,000-strong Reddit community within the r/noburp subreddit, helped Lucy realise she wasn't alone. "That Reddit page has been a real game changer because there's just loads of people with it," Lucy said. "Once I knew it had a name everything started making sense." That's when Lucy discovered there was a treatment – a high-dose Botox injection into the cricopharyngeal muscle that allows the muscle to relax and the burp reflex to return. She added: "It started to get to the point where I couldn't do a gig without an 'air vomit'. It was really horrible knowing that something you love is paired with something that feels really wrong. "The treatment was definitely a difficult decision because I was really worried about the effect on my voice and the impact on me financially and mentally from not being able to sing. "But I just thought even if the Botox does mess with my voice it's better than this, because this is just terrible." Lucy paid just under £900 for a same-day consultation and procedure at Shirley Oaks Hospital in London, where she says the Botox injection into her throat "didn't hurt that much". The results were instant. "I had my first burp the next morning which was pretty amazing," she said. "It just took me by surprise when I was yawning and it came out." Within days, she was enjoying fizzy drinks, burgers and nights out without pain or embarrassment. While Lucy is cautious about how long the effects will last, she says the transformation has been "life-changing". She said: "I just felt great. That was pretty life-changing and emotional in itself to enjoy life and indulge and not be in horrible pain all night and not be able to sleep." Since the procedure, Lucy says she has noticed some side effects, including a "slow swallow" sensation and an "awful" incident where she choked on water due to a laryngeal spasm, which she says her doctor had warned her about. Lucy says the treatment has slightly weakened her voice, which has so far led her to cancel one gig. However, she hopes that she will return to performing "better than ever" in a few weeks – free from pain and with a new-found ability to burp.
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
UK health officials issue warning over cosmetic jabs after 38 botulism cases
People seeking cosmetic procedures have been warned to be on their guard by public health experts as they revealed there have been 38 recent cases of botulism poisoning in England linked to unlicensed Botox-like jabs. The UK Health Security Agency said on Friday that cases were first reported in the north-east, with others subsequently reported in the east of England and East Midlands. All were reported between 4 June and 14 July 2025. 'Investigations are ongoing but evidence so far suggests the use of an unlicensed Botox-like product,' UKHSA said, noting those affected by botulism poisoning had shown symptoms including difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and breathing difficulty requiring respiratory support. According to the NHS, botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria that attack the nervous system. A purified form of these toxins is the active ingredient in Botox and similar products that are often used for cosmetic purposes, including to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. While rare, botulism can be life-threatening. Treatment often includes the use of anti-toxins as well as interventions to support the body. Dr Gauri Godbole, the consultant medical microbiologist at UKHSA, said symptoms of the condition can take up to four weeks to develop after a Botox-like treatment, and advised anyone experiencing signs, such as difficulties swallowing, to contact NHS 111 and seek treatment. While UKHSA has told medical professionals to watch out for botulism among people who have recently had the cosmetic injections, it also warned the public to take care when seeking such procedures to ensure a qualified person is carrying them out and that they are using the correct jabs. 'If you are considering having a cosmetic procedure, please make sure to check that your practitioner is using a licensed product,' said Godbole, noting there is further information on how to chose a practitioner on the NHS website. Prof Meghana Pandit,co-national medical director at NHS England, added the website also provides advice on the questions to ask, including making sure the person administering the injection is appropriately trained. 'When these procedures go wrong, there is a risk of serious infections and permanent scarring, which is why only registered professionals like a doctor, a nurse or pharmacy prescriber should be prescribing these treatments,' she said. Dr Alison Cave, the chief safety officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said buying Botox-like products in any other circumstances significantly increases the risk that it is either fake or not licensed for use in the UK. 'Public safety is a top priority for the MHRA,' she said, adding that when unlicensed products were used it 'means that there are no safeguards to ensure products meet the MHRA's standards for quality and safety. As such, they can endanger the health of the people who take them,' she said.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Fake Botox ‘poisoning cosmetic patients'
Thirty-eight people in the UK have been poisoned by fake Botox since last month, officials have revealed. Victims experienced difficulties with breathing and swallowing, as well as slurred speech, after suffering from botulism, a rare and life-threatening condition. The UK Healthcare Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a warning over the cases in the East of England and the East Midlands, following a spate of similar poisonings in the North East. To date, 38 cases of 'iatrogenic botulism' have been reported between 4 June and 14 July. The UKSHA said it was warning people to be aware of the symptoms after victims needed NHS care after suffering from adverse reactions. Evidence so far suggests that an 'unlicensed Botox-like product' had been used, the agency said. The practitioners involved have stopped offering the injections and are co-operating with an ongoing investigation, the UKSHA said. Officials said there were no known links between the newly diagnosed cases and those in the North East. Symptoms can take four weeks to develop The UKHSA has urged members of the public to make sure they take precautions when seeking aesthetic procedures, including checking if the product being used is licensed. Dr Gauri Godbole, a consultant medical microbiologist at the UKHSA, said: 'Botulism related to aesthetic procedures is rare, but it can be serious. It is caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. These toxins (but not the bacteria) are the active ingredient in 'Botox' and similar products. 'Symptoms of botulism can take up to four weeks to develop, and if you have had a recent botulinum toxin (Botox-like) treatment and are having symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or breathing, contact NHS 111 for further advice and seek treatment.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
UK health officials issue warning over cosmetic jabs after 38 botulism cases
People seeking cosmetic procedures have been warned to be on their guard by public health experts as they revealed there have been 38 recent cases of botulism poisoning in England linked to unlicensed Botox-like jabs. The UK Health Security Agency said on Friday that cases were first reported in the north-east, with others subsequently reported in the east of England and East Midlands. All were reported between 4 June and 14 July 2025. 'Investigations are ongoing but evidence so far suggests the use of an unlicensed Botox-like product,' UKHSA said, noting those affected by botulism poisoning had shown symptoms including difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and breathing difficulty requiring respiratory support. According to the NHS, botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria that attack the nervous system. A purified form of these toxins is the active ingredient in Botox and similar products that are often used for cosmetic purposes, including to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. While rare, botulism can be life-threatening. Treatment often includes the use of anti-toxins as well as interventions to support the body. Dr Gauri Godbole, the consultant medical microbiologist at UKHSA, said symptoms of the condition can take up to four weeks to develop after a Botox-like treatment, and advised anyone experiencing signs, such as difficulties swallowing, to contact NHS 111 and seek treatment. While UKHSA has told medical professionals to watch out for botulism among people who have recently had the cosmetic injections, it also warned the public to take care when seeking such procedures to ensure a qualified person is carrying them out and that they are using the correct jabs. 'If you are considering having a cosmetic procedure, please make sure to check that your practitioner is using a licensed product,' said Godbole, noting there is further information on how to chose a practitioner on the NHS website. Prof Meghana Pandit,co-national medical director at NHS England, added the website also provides advice on the questions to ask, including making sure the person administering the injection is appropriately trained. 'When these procedures go wrong, there is a risk of serious infections and permanent scarring, which is why only registered professionals like a doctor, a nurse or pharmacy prescriber should be prescribing these treatments,' she said. Dr Alison Cave, the chief safety officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said buying Botox-like products in any other circumstances significantly increases the risk that it is either fake or not licensed for use in the UK. 'Public safety is a top priority for the MHRA,' she said, adding that when unlicensed products were used it 'means that there are no safeguards to ensure products meet the MHRA's standards for quality and safety. As such, they can endanger the health of the people who take them,' she said.
