Storing cosmetic injectables – be prepared for change

Are you one of the medical or non-medical practices which carries out some of the 900,000 botulinum toxin injections in the UK each year? 

If so, you need to be prepared for some major changes which are expected to come into force in the very near future, designed to tighten up the notoriously lax regulation of the aesthetics industry.

What are the proposed changes?

The Government’s Department of Health and Social Care is proposing to introduce a new licensing scheme for all cosmetic practitioners and businesses in England. This will cover botulinum toxin treatments (commonly known as Botox).

Leading aesthetics bodies which have long campaigned for regulation - the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), The British Beauty Council, and the Save Face register for accredited practitioners – have been closely involved in the consultation and new regulation is likely to reflect their existing guidance and code of practice. 

This includes clear guidelines on the correct and safe storage of botulinum toxin.

How should botulinum toxin be stored?

Botulinum toxin is classed as a medical cold chain product which, like vaccines and other medicines, will degrade and become ineffective if not stored correctly.

If you follow these guidelines for storing your toxins you will have no fear of your product becoming ineffective – or of falling foul of industry standards:

The toxin should be stored in a medical fridge within a controlled temperature between +2°C and +8°C and fridge temperatures should be audited and recorded on a daily basis by a designated member of staff. 

The medical fridge should:

• Have a temperature gauge and a lockable door.
• Never be used to store non-medical products such as food or drink.
• Be located in a well-ventilated room which is maintained between 10°C and 25 ̊C, away from external windows and heat sources such as radiators, and at least 5-10 cm from walls and other units.
• Be filled to no more than 75% capacity to allow adequate air circulation, with stock stored according to first expiry.
• Kept clean and serviced regularly, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Only an approved medical refrigerator such as Lec Medical’s Pharmacy Plus range can provide the controlled temperature required to store botulinum toxin. A domestic fridge falls way below aesthetic industry standards and should never be used.

A medical fridge offers multiple technical options which bring added assurance and save on staff time, including local temperature monitoring and recording, dual air temperature probes, intelligent fan system and power failure alarm with battery back-up and data retention.

You can browse our extensive range here.