A doctor has made a point about the true impact of cosmetic injections, and she's done so by using herself as the guinea pig.
Dr. Bita Farrell made international headlines in 2024 when she turned herself into a live case study, injecting Botox into only half of her face to demonstrate the drug’s real, visible effects.
The medical doctor’s bold experiment offered a rare, side-by-side look at how botulinum toxin, commonly branded as Botox, alters facial movement and appearance. The result was a striking asymmetry: one side frozen, the other fully expressive.
Botox, derived from the botulinum toxin, is widely used in cosmetic treatments to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles. Though it’s also used in clinical settings to treat certain medical conditions, the aesthetic version remains most associated with celebrities and aging prevention, according to Medline Plus.
In videos shared online, Dr. Farrell explained that even two weeks post-injection, the treated side of her face showed little to no movement.
“You can see that the platysma muscle on this [left] side is really contracting and pulling my jawline down, and so is my DAO, pulling the corner of my mouth down,” she said in the video. “I’m really trying to pull this side!” she added, referencing the muscle paralysis caused by the injection.
While Botox is FDA-approved and generally considered safe when administered by licensed professionals, it does come with risks. According to the Mayo Clinic, possible side effects include:
- Pain, swelling, or bruising at the injection site
- Drooping eyelids or uneven eyebrows
- Headache or flu-like symptoms
- Dry or watery eyes
- A crooked smile or facial asymmetry
- Muscle weakness and, in rare cases, infection
In April 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a public warning after 22 women, aged between 25 and 59, experienced dangerous complications from counterfeit or improperly handled botulinum toxin, the BBC reported. Eleven were hospitalized, and six required treatment with antitoxins due to concerns they were developing botulism, a rare but life-threatening condition.
Reported symptoms included:
- Blurred or double vision
- Drooping eyelids
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Muscle weakness
- Slurred speech
- Severe fatigue
CDC epidemiologist Michelle Waltenburg warned that all affected women had received injections from unlicensed individuals in non-clinical settings, a stark reminder of the risks associated with black-market Botox, telling NBC: "The sources of these products are unverified and unknown, which is why this situation is certainly concerning."
Despite Botox’s popularity, there’s limited research into its long-term effects, as most clinical trials only span six months.
A 2023 study by Mosahebi and colleagues at University College London found that 69% of survey respondents experienced persistent side effects, including anxiety, headaches, and muscle pain. Some also reported psychological distress when cosmetic procedures didn’t go as expected.
Experts suggest that repeated use of Botox may result in muscle weakening over time. “If you didn’t use your abs for 10 years, they would waste away,” Mosahebi said. “In a similar way, if the muscles that cause facial expressions are paralyzed repeatedly, they can atrophy. Over time, your natural expressions can become less pronounced.”
While many people continue to use Botox without issue, Dr. Farrell’s real-time experiment served as a dramatic visual reminder: Botox is not without consequences, and its effects, both short- and long-term, deserve careful consideration and consultations.