Nineteen women from nine states, including New Jersey, have been sickened after receiving Botox injections that were either counterfeit or given by unlicensed people, federal officials said.
Nine of the 19 required hospitalization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said.
The women reported symptoms such as blurry vision, double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, fatigue and generalized weakness. Four had to be treated with botulism antitoxin because of concerns that the botulinum toxin would spread in their bodies, the agency said.
The women range in age from 25 to 59, with a median age of 39. Besides New Jersey, the affected women live in New York, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and Washington state, federal officials said.
Some received injections with counterfeit products or products with unverified sources, officials noted. Others got injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings like homes and spas.
Botox is often used for cosmetic reasons, such as removing or lessening facial wrinkles.
In a worst-case scenario, botulism can trigger a serious enough attack on the body’s nerves to cause death, the CDC said.
The state Department of Health couldn’t immediately be reached for information on people in New Jersey who were affected by the injections.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
