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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Botox: what is it, who uses it, and what are the risks associated with injecting the deadliest substance known to man?

  • Millions of people use the drug each year, turning Botox into a multibillion dollar industry
  • The procedure is not without its risks, and side effects range from temporary paralysis of a muscle to more severe outcomes

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Botox is a popular beauty treatment worldwide. Photo: Shutterstock
Elizabeth Cheung

For those fighting the losing battle against ageing, Botox injections have long been consider a risk worth taking.

A multibillion dollar industry, millions of people worldwide use the drug for cosmetic purposes, and beauty salons and clinics in Hong Kong charge between HK$3,000 and HK$10,000 per treatment as the image-conscious battle wrinkles, and crow’s feet, in an attempt to maintain a youthful complexion.

Celebrities from Hollywood to Bollywood have been known to use it, although few admit it publicly. Nicole Kidman did confess to trying it on her face in 2011, and said it left her unable to form any expressions.

Nicole Kidman tried Botox in 2011 and said she was left unable to form any facial expressions. Photo: Reuters.
Nicole Kidman tried Botox in 2011 and said she was left unable to form any facial expressions. Photo: Reuters.
Temporary paralysis of facial muscles is one of several side effects, but a 2006 report claimed the drug was linked to 16 deaths, and this week Hong Kong saw its first case of Botox being suspected of playing a part in a death – that of Zoe Cheung Shuk-ling.

Dr Franklin Li Wang-pong, an 86-year-old plastic surgeon, was arrested over the incident, which has again raised concerns about the risks of this popular beauty treatment.

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