An alert came across my desk today from the FDA alerting the public of systemic adverse reactions including respiratory compromise and death following the use of botulinum toxins types A and B for both FDA-approved and unapproved uses.

For those not making the connection, this is the drug called Botox used for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity and for cosmetic purposes to remove wrinkles for a short period of time.

It caused me to think at what price individuals world-wide will pay for vanity.

Oh, the decision to use Botox for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity is a no brainier.

But to use it for vanity is truly questionable.

According to the FDA, “the reactions that have been reported are suggestive of botulism, which occurs when botulinum toxin spreads in the body beyond the site where it was injected.”

The most serious cases had outcomes that included hospitalization and death, and occurred mostly in children treated for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity.

Nevertheless the number of people that subject themselves to elective surgery, and possibly death for cosmetic purposes, is alarming.

For example simple things such as high-protein diets such as the Atkins diet, have resulted in deaths from heart attacks.

Weight loss surgery is extremely dangerous and it too results in deaths.

Breast implant patients are three times as likely to die from lung cancer, emphysema and pneumonia as other plastic surgery patients.

Facial surgery is not without risk, but when successful it will lift your sagging cheeks, smooth your jaw line, an eliminate jowling.  It will tighten the loose skin of your neck, remove excess fat from under your chin, and correct the turkey-gobbler appearance of your neck.

What are the complications? Hematoma, skin death, facial weakness or paralysis, attached earlobe and open ear canal.

Then there is liposuction — this is where they suck the fat out of certain sections of your body.

What are the risks: infections, embolism, visceral perforations — puncture wounds in the organs. Seroma, pooling of serum; nerve compression and changes in sensation; swelling; skin necrosis -death; burns; fluid implance; toxicity from anesthesia; fatalities — there are numerous reports of deaths.

When looking at all forms of elective cosmetic surgery there are many cases every year associated with deaths because of plastic surgery.

Let’s face it surgery of any kind is a risk unto itself.  If you don’t need it for sound medical reasons, don’t do it.

Just in the state of Florida in 1997 approximately 36 persons died following any kind of cosmetic surgery.

Death by vanity, in my opinion, is not a good idea.