Beware of the unqualified plastic surgeons

About 60 percent of the complications caused by cosmetic injections in China were reported at unlicensed institutions, top specialists estimate, urging beauty pursuers to seek services from qualified hospitals and physicians.

Currently, the clostridium botulinum bacterium, also known as botulin toxin or Botox, and hyaluronic acid are the top two cosmetic injectables on the market, according to Wang Xiaojun, director of the plastic surgery department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

The former is approved by drug authorities as a treatment for facial wrinkles and works by blocking the release of acetylcholine, the chemical responsible for transmitting motion signals to the muscles.