Question: On a frequent basis, I see advertisements for products that are “better than Botoxâ€, lunchtime laser liposuction, weekend facelifts, non-surgical tummy tucks, facial exercise equipment for jowls, and products that can thicken your hair and fill in balding areas in one treatment. Is there any truth to these claims; do they work even a little?
Answer: If it sounds too good to be true well, you know the rest. The golden standard for treatment of these areas of the body cannot be found in a bottle or box but in the office of a reputable physician; that’s why I am still in business. Although taking a quicker or cheaper route can be very appealing and hard to resist, ultimately, you get what you pay for.
Many of the companies offering these products just want you to try them once, that’s where they plan to make their money. Statistically, very few people will ask for a refund and fill out the necessary paperwork to get their money back. Millions of dollars are made annually on unproven and false claims made by companies and there really is no government entity to oversee these goods. The products are not illegal, only unethical. This is not to say that there are not exceptional products on the horizon that may sound too good to be true; those that will ultimately pass the test of extensive research and time. I tell my patients that if they encounter such a product or procedure that my staff and I will be more than happy to discuss those that we are familiar with, and research those we are not.
