NSW Health has issued a public health alert after a woman was hospitalised for botulism linked to “unregulated anti-wrinkle injections”.
One woman has been treated for botulism, and two more have been hospitalised with NSW Health suspecting that it could be linked to at-home cosmetic injectables.
In a statement on Saturday, NSW Health claimed that all three patients “received anti-wrinkle injections from the same person on the same day at a Sydney home about two weeks ago,” 9News reports.
Botulism is a rare but serious illness that attacks the body’s nervous system. According to NSW Health, symptoms of botulism can appear two weeks following an injection.
The symptoms can include:
- progressive weakness
- difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- drooping eyelids (ptosis)
- blurred or double vision (diplopia)
- difficulty breathing
NSW Health’s Executive Director of Health Protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty previously stressed on the dangers of unregulated cosmetic injections and urged consumers to seek out authorised practitioners to undergo these procedures.
“Cosmetic injections, if used incorrectly, could result in serious harm and even death in the most serious of cases,” McAnulty said on Friday.
“Botulism, although rare, can be fatal, which is why it is so important that anyone receiving cosmetic injections does so under the supervision of an appropriately registered health practitioner.
“In this particular case, investigations are continuing, but we want people to be aware of the symptoms of botulism as others could have been exposed.”
NSW Health has since launched an investigation into the cosmetic injections alongside the Health Care Complaints Commission and NSW Police.
The woman who’s being treated for botulism is currently receiving intensive care at a Sydney hospital.
