In June, Houston-area investigators arrested a local medical spa operator for performing procedures without a license. The practice, located in an average-looking medical office building, did not raise any alarms to the clients. However, the provider was illegally injected foreign Botox and lip fillers in hundreds of unknowing patients.
When the Houston Police Department’s Major Offenders Division raided the medical spa, they found the owner injecting black market Botox, fillers, and anesthesia. Unregulated, the injectables from overseas pose substantial danger for patients, as no one knows what these products actually contain. “Who knows what could happen. It could be poisonous,” says Dr. Franklin Rose, a respected local plastic surgeon. He continues, “It could be stuff that’s used for laboratory animals. You don’t really know.”
How to Choose a Safe, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon:
Before scheduling any plastic surgery or noninvasive aesthetic procedure, do your homework. Start by making sure your plastic surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Each organization provides an easily searchable directory to help patients find a board-certified plastic surgeon in their local area.
After board certification, look online to research a physician’s reviews and testimonials. Make sure the doctor has lots of happy clients. RealSelf is an excellent source of both procedure information, as well as plastic surgeon reviews. Finally, read through the doctor’s unique background, ensuring he/she has experience in your desired technique. A trusted surgeon will have hundreds of before and after pictures for you to look through, as well. Remember, the more recent before/after photos, the higher the number of satisfied patients.
Houston’s Top Plastic Surgeon: Dr. Paul Vitenas
Paul Vitenas, MD FACS is board certified, with close to 30 years of plastic surgery experience. With meticulous skill and an innate artistic touch, Dr. Vitenas has crafted his own, cutting-edge techniques, providing the most satisfying aesthetic results available today.
To ensure patient safety, Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery only uses FDA-approved products during every procedure, including injectable treatments. The office is among the top 1% of providers for Allergan, the maker of Botox Cosmetic and trusted dermal fillers, like Juvederm. Each of the nurses, aestheticians, and skin care professionals are among the most trained within their field, fully licensed, and often have extra training in cutting-edge techniques.
Are you considering an aesthetic procedure? Put your trust in a respected, experienced provider. Contact Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery with your aesthetic questions or concerns. Call our Richmond Avenue office at 281.484.0088 or fill out our online Contact Us form. Detailed information on each of our procedures is available on our website, including extensive before and after photographs. When you are ready, speak with a patient coordinator for driving directions to Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery, or ask out about a virtual consultation for out-of-town patients.