This is in response to the recent promotion for Botox injections at an Auburn-based food preparation company, described in the June 8 edition of The Citizen, section C.

These events, commonly known as Botox parties, could potentially do more harm to patients than good. These parties are taking place in social, non-clinical environments due to the popularity of the cosmetic procedure since 2000.

As a concerned board certified plastic surgeon, I adhere to the respected medical societies recommendations to discourage the application of Botox in a nonmedical environment.

A restaurant, hotel room, or someone else's living room is not the appropriate environment to inject this product.

We seek the cleanest environment possible and outside of an operating room, even an office examination room still has a few standards to meet. While not sterile, it is considered a clean room and there are regulations about this.

One of the things I try to provide for my patients is a relaxed environment. Sure, it's good for their psyche and their overall experience to inject them in my office, but there is another more important reason.

When anxious, your heart races and the blood flows a little more forcefully through the tissues that I'm injecting.

I don't want that. In fact, I want the opposite. I want the circulation to be at a minimum in the areas that I place Botox. Otherwise, with increase in the circulation the risk of bruising is much greater.

Patients' safety is my greatest concern. Most of my patients are thankful for me keeping this in mind.

Dr. Guillermo Quetell

Auburn

Quetell is a plastic surgeon at Auburn Memorial Hospital