The Daily Mail recently reported on a new “innovation” in Botox - the Juvapen. It’s a new device for administering Botox injections, and on the surface, it sounds like an interesting idea. But there are some serious issues with the device and its application that we’d like to address.
What is it?
It's a device that can be attached to the end of a filled Botox syringe. It is then set to deliver a precise quantity of Botox and, instead of injecting by hand, the device uses a small motor to drive the injection into the skin.
The makers of the pen say that it allows tiny and precise quantities of Botox to be administered, with very little margin for error. They also say that it is less painful than manual injections, although the author of the article (who tried the treatment) said she didn't find it any less painful. According to her, it was simply a different type of pain to normal Botox injections.
So what’s the problem?
Being precise in the amount of Botox that is injected during treatment is vital - it’s the difference between having a soft and natural look and a frozen face.
But the device doesn’t actually tell you how much to inject, it just makes sure you inject what you said you will. Proper training is required
to know how much Botox is needed for different areas of the face, and how different people may need different amounts depending on the structure
of the face.
The pen may deliver the set amount of Botox to within a 2% margin of error, but if you put in the wrong number in the first place, it won’t stop you.
With a device like this new pen, unskilled and inexperienced practitioners start to feel more comfortable with administering Botox, even without knowing the ins and outs of the procedure. In fact, the makers of the pen say that it makes it easier to teach beginners how to inject Botox. But will those beginners genuinely know how much Botox is needed, and how much represents the difference between looking youthful and looking frozen?
Do you want a beginner or an expert?
If the new pen is attractive to beginners, what does that say about their overall skills? We feel strongly that Botox isn’t something that people should dabble in without learning the necessary skills and techniques. Dr. Samantha Gammell, our own Botox expert, has completed extensive training and has years of experience - there’s no comparison between her abilities and those of someone who picked up a pen without any prior experience.
On top of the fact that the pen only works if you input the correct quantity, there is also nothing about it to prevent people from injecting it into the wrong places. With any injectable treatment, getting the needle in exactly the right place is a crucial part of the process, and that’s not something to leave to chance, or to an inexperienced practitioner.
Getting Botox in precisely the right place makes the difference between looking fresher, and looking slightly wrong. Your doctor needs to know exactly where to inject, in order to achieve the right result.
One of the rare side effects of Botox can be drooping or lowering of the upper brow or eyelid - at Aesthetic MediSpa, our clinical audits show that we have less than a 0.01% risk of this occurring, thanks to Dr. Gammell’s expertise. But with a beginner or someone who thinks a Botox pen will do all the work, that risk is much higher.
Getting a great result from Botox relies on knowing and understanding the anatomy of the face, and knowing how each injection will affect the overall appearance. That’s not something you can learn with a quick fix like this new device.
What next?
The Daily Mail headline questions whether this “innovation” is the slippery slope to DIY Botox… We sincerely hope not - if having inexperienced doctors using it is bad enough, doing it yourself, with no training or medical knowledge at all, is a terrible idea. We don’t think that’s a likely outcome, though.
If you’re considering Botox, talk to someone who knows what they’re doing. A good practitioner doesn’t need a pen to help them, and you shouldn’t put your beauty in the hands of someone who isn’t experienced or qualified enough to give you the look you deserve.
We offer consultations for anyone considering any treatments, so why not come in and find out how we do things here, and why an experienced doctor is a far better choice than a beginner with a device that makes them think they’re more competent than they are?