Each year around 15 million cosmetic procedures are performed in the United States. Cosmetic procedures include treatments such as wrinkle reducers and dermal fillers often known by their trade names “Botox, Dysport, Juvederm & Restylane”. These procedures require advanced knowledge of facial anatomy, without this knowledge the results can be catastrophic. The FDA has classified dermal fillers as implantable devices, side effects could include: difficult to treat infections, tissue loss, blindness, stroke and even death.  With so much at stake, the Nursing Board of Arizona has set up standards, requiring at minimum a Registered Nurse administer these prescription medications.  Despite these standards, any Registered Nurse will tell you they have a story of a client sitting in their chair crying because someone injected them without any credentials and now have side effects that need managed.
 
After an ABC news series on medical imposters aired a law was signed in 2019 for more to be done regarding medical imposters. Unfortunately, this law changed nothing.  Medical imposters can be found all over social media performing these services. Their prices lure clients in, as many use counterfeit (illegal) products which allow them to sell them below market value. 
 
After reporting a particular medical imposter who is well known on social media, I was told by the Board of Nursing that the allegations do not fall within the scope of issues that the Board is authorized to investigate.
 
Nancy Barto states this concern is a threat to public safety.  The new law required state Boards to verify complaints. Practicing medicine without a license is a class 5 felony, so why are imposters on social media getting away with it?  Our State Boards and Law Enforcement need to do more by prosecuting these imposters.