We at Maine Laser Skin Care occasionally receive phone calls about per-unit pricing of Botox that is well below the normal price range for any market region, never mind Maine. These instances are particularly unusual since Allergan, the makers of Botox, has recently increased their prices for Botox because of supply chain and delivery cost issues, like other manufacturers.
As one of the busiest aesthetic offices in Maine that utilizes Botox to treat clients, we do benefit from volume pricing, and we have decided not to increase our prices to consumers. The normal wholesale price for Botox, which we know well having spent more than $250,000 on Botox last year, makes prices quoted as low as $8-10 per unit very suspicious.
There have been reports in other parts of the country of low Botox prices as a result of nefarious providers over-diluting Botox. So, when someone receives multiple injections of this diluted Botox, they are probably really getting about one full dosage.
Reports also exist of providers buying cheaper wholesale Botox over the Internet, but not directly from the manufacturer. It is usually shipped from outside the U.S., which is a violation of federal law and very prone to counterfeits from (where else but) China.
The one possibly legitimate reason for lesser-priced Botox is that some novice providers will lower their prices to barely-profitable levels when they are first starting out distributing Botox. The rationale behind this price drop is for them to gain experience.
In these cases, the Botox is the real thing and not over-diluted, but you are receiving injections from an inexperienced injector. The experience and trained aesthetic eye of your injector is truly as important as getting the right product.
The long and short of our message is that the buyer should beware if Botox is significantly lower in some locations and settings by some injectors. The old adages of "you get what you pay for" and "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is" apply here.
Our commitment here at Maine Laser Skin Care is to provide safe and effective cutting-edge aesthetic medical skin care at reasonable prices. We will continue to point out potential scams or worrisome skin care trends if we see them or hear of them to protect you and your hard-earned money.