With the growing number of cosmetic procedures that can be done outside of a hospital, it is to be expected that unlicensed practitioners with unsafe procedures and even non-approved products will proliferate. Wishing to avoid the expense of doctor-administered Botox injections for instance, women may listen to a friend who has a friend who had them done cheaply by so-and-so. Often these procedures lead to disfigurement that may be life-long instead of the months-long wrinkle reduction they sought. Recently, in Massachusetts, one woman paid for liposuction with her life when she agreed to a low-fee procedure in a basement.

The news is full of such stories, of women who paid far too much in their quest for beauty and got something unexpected and life-altering. Laws regarding procedures such as botox injections and laser hair removal vary from state to state and not all require a doctor to perform the procedure.

Often, plastic surgery is required to fix the disfiguring and painful results of unlicensed and untrained personnel performing cosmetic procedures.

When choosing to undergo any cosmetic procedure, whether it be injections of botox or collagen, chemical peels, or even electrolysis and tattooing, it is important to check the credentials of the clinic, salon or spa and of the staff performing the procedures.