I never thought I’d see the day, but Botox is now available on your local high street, at Superdrug of all places.
Superdrug has launched a Skin Renew service in one of their London stores, where customers 25 and older can receive Botox or dermal fillers. The retailer plans to roll out this in-house surgery service nationwide.
I hear whooping and cheering everywhere – especially as it’s only £99 – although what that covers I’m not sure???
A word of warning though, before you jump on the tube to the Strand branch, near Leicester Square. When undergoing these procedures, needles are penetrated through the patient’s facial skin and muscles to place the Botox or filler in the right places. If the needles are inserted in the wrong place, nerve damage can be caused, leading to skin necrosis, blindness or paralysis of the muscled causing deformation of a patient’s face. This might be temporary but it can also be permanent.
Will a drugstore with the traffic of thousands of people per day be able to guarantee their patients a sterile environment? Fillers and Botox always require a face-to-face consultation prior to administration and must be regulated by the Care Quality Commission. One would assume that Superdrug have done their prep and prepared a medically suitable environment, as an infection is but one of the complications that can occur after having one of these procedures.
We are witnessing an increasing number of younger women who have had their lips done, cheek fillers and Botox (coughs ‘Kylie Jenner’). This is caused in part by the influence of shows like the Kardashians and Love Island, where so many of the contestants admit to using surgery to achieve their photo-friendly looks. Superdrug sponsored the reality TV show, so it’s unsurprising that they’re keen to cash in on people wanting the “Love Island look”.
Superdrug comments: ‘We’re listening to what people are telling us they would like, which is the reassurance that if they choose to have aesthetic treatments then it will be administered by highly qualified nurse practitioners in a private consultation room.”
’Now where’s my Oyster Card?
