Facial Injections: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

Botox is considered a treatment/medication. This can legally be delegated to a nurse, as long as the MD has done the health and history for the patient, and give an appropriate recommendation as far as treatment, along with following other protocol (for every state it is different).

As long as the person has proper training and experience then either nurse or MD can both administer Botox safely. The best way to find this out is to simple ask what kind of training they’ve had, how many hours, etc. (Philip Young, MD, Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Any one can inject Botox, not anyone should. Just like anything in Medicine, experience counts. Any physician can inject Botox as well as supervised nurses and physician assistants.

Well-trained medical personal who have had good training can inject Botox.

A weekend course with minimal anatomical training is not advised. Ask the person who is injecting you what their experience is before being injected. There is an art to injecting Botox. (Carlos Wolf, MD, Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Rules on who can inject Botox vary by state

In all states, Botox is a drug requiring prescriptive authority to purchase; in other words, you have to be a doctor to buy Botox. However, most states allow the doctor to delegate injections to a licensed practitioner suxch as a nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant under the doctor’s supervision.

This does not necessarily have to be on-site supervision, though examination by the doctor is often required first. There are 2 schools of thought on who should be doing injections: One camp believes that it should always be the doctor, the other recognizes that there are highly skilled nurse injectors who actually do more of it that many doctors doing the supervising. (Richard Baxter, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Anyone can inject Botox but should they do so. It is better to go with an experienced injector such as a board certified Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist. (Thomas Guillot, MD, Baton Rouge Plastic Surgeon)

Botox is administered by a physician or nurse practitioner

As a board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, I administer all injectables at my medical spa. It is crucial that the injector understand the facial anatomy and how to manage any problems that may occur. I believe that injecting Botox is an ART and having trained specifically in facial plastic surgery provides the confidence patients look for. (Randall Latorre, MD, Tampa Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Botox injected by a physician or other medical professional

The answer is that it depends on what area of the country you are in. Different states have different regulations on what procedures a physician, nurse, or medical assistant can perform. In Ohio, for example, only a physician can inject Botox while in other parts of the country nurses may be allowed.

For me and my family, I would only have a physician perform any facial injection, whether Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra, etc. I also would make sure that that physician was trained and board certified in one of the four “core” specialties as defined by Allergan (the maker of Botox) for injections of this type.

Those specialties are plastic surgery, dermatology, facial plastic surgery and oculoplastic surgery. That way you can be confident that your physician injector is well trained in the relevant anatomy of the face and the mechanism of action of whatever they are injecting. (Jason Brett Lichten, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

A physician assistant can inject botox also

As a physician and oculoplastic surgeon, I have ben injecting Botox for close to 20 years. It is definitely an art and you have to be well versed in the anatomy and physiology of the related muscles.

Having said that, Botox can be injected by a physician, nurse or physician assistant. I have personally trained a P. A. (physician assistant) in my practice 8 years ago who also is my wife and she is very competent as well.

Physicain assistants are licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a doctor. As her supervising physician, I would not allow her to inject if I didn’t think it was safe or would put my patients in jeopardy in any way.

Be sure whomever you go to has been properly trained and has alot of experience with Botox. (Jonathan Hoenig, MD, Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon)

Botox should be injected by physicians only

I recommend that Botox be injected only by a board certified dermatologist, plastic surgeon, ENT or occuloplastic surgeon. Injecting Botox requires medical expertise, knowledge of the anatomy, knowledge of Botox and how it works, and the proper set of skills.

In my opinion, physicians have this knowledge, expertise and experience. Therefore, you should make sure that your treatments are being done by a physician, and not by a physician assistant, a nurse or some other type of medical assistant. (Channing R. Barnett, MD, Boca Raton Dermatologist)

Legality of Botox injectors

The laws determining who is allowed to inject neurotoxins and fillers varies from state to state. In Florida, where I practice, the law states: Botox must be performed by a Physician, a Physician Assistant under supervision, or an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner working under a protocol signed by a Physician.

In the state of Florida, it is forbidden for an RN to inject Botox or fillers. What is much more important is that the individual responsible for performing the injections is capable of dealing with any adverse results which may possibly occur.

In my opinion, this is becoming a significant problem as many current “MedSpa” type injectors have no real knowledge of the anatomy of the mimetic facial musculature or vascular structures, nor would they know how to correct a complication resulting from a poorly placed injection.

You will be best served seeing a board certified specialist for safe and effective treatments. (Jacque P. LeBeau, MD, Pensacola Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Who can inject Botox in California?

In California, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses are allowed to inject Botox. If the injector is not a physician, the person must be using a standardized procedure and be working under the direct supervision of a physician. (Harold J. Kaplan, MD, Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Who can inject vs where to get Botox from

Practically anyone CAN inject Botox (… As long as they are “supervised” by anyone with a Medical License. Mind you the extent of required “supervision” is often purposely vague. Can I as a surgeon REALLY supervise an cosmetician in a spa across town while I am in my office seeing other patients or in the operating room? You get the idea).

Why do you think we have SO MUCH BAD BOTOX out there ??

If you REALLY believe that an esthetician, cosmetologist, nurse injector or a MD trained in Family Practice, Gynecologist, ER Medicine, Chiropractor etc are as good as a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon (www.PlasticSurgery.org), ENT or Dermatologist – then by all means, keep going to such injectors. If on the other hand you want to GET THE BEST AND SAFEST BOTOX AND FILLERS RESULTS POSSIBLE then insist on having your Botox and fillers done by a professional.

You deserve it. Insist on having a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, ENT or Dermatologist PERSONALLY do your Botox and fillers treatments and you will see the difference. (Peter A. Aldea, MD, Memphis Plastic Surgeon)

The most important thing about Botox is the person at the other end of the needle. I recommend a skilled board certified dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or ENT physician. You want to make sure that you are having the procedure done by a physician, not an assistant or a nurse.

You want somebody who knows the anatomy well. The medicine works best when applied specifically to the appropriate muscle groups, which is done best by somebody who has an excellent knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the skin.

I can’t emphasize enough the most important thing is the physician providing the Botox. (Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, Minneapolis Dermatologic Surgeon)