By Clyde Noel

Ever since the Food and Drug Administration approved a form of Botox (botulinum toxin) this past spring, “Botox parties” have become the craze among men and women attempting to regain smoother skin through injections of the drug.

Medical officials estimated that more than 2 million people this year will go under the needle to treat their facial muscles with Botox.

These parties have reached downtown Los Altos. Inquirers recently gathered for hors d’oeuvres, chitchat and a few wrinkle-removing Botox injections at two parties at Acacia C on Main Street.

“We started the parties on a whim to become informed about the drug and invited a physician to talk to us,” said Lynda Newlon, owner of Acacia C. “There was no way I could hold it in my home, because more than 40 customers and friends wanted to attend - so we had the party in the store.”

Dr. Steven Struck, a Stanford-trained plastic surgeon with offices in Atherton and Los Gatos, spoke to the group and gave several employees Botox injections as demonstrations for the audience.

That first Botox party was so popular that Acacia C held another in July for 35 friends and customers.

Struck did not administer any Botox injections to attendees. “Injections ought to be performed in a controlled medical setting by a physician who has training and experience in the anatomy of facial muscles and in cosmetic surgery of the face,” Struck said. “Parties are held in homes, hotel suites and beauty salons, where the atmosphere is not conducive to treatment and patients are pressured by peers into receiving injections.”

Los Altos resident Valerie Foster received Botox treatment from Struck in his office and raved about it. “I think Botox gives you immediate gratification,” Foster said. “It’s not expensive and it makes you feel good.”

Ever since the FDA approved the use of Botox to treat wrinkles, these parties have attracted age-conscious patients for the social aspect and the price, usually lower than an injection in a doctor’s office.

The FDA’s approval acknowledges Botox will “temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows.”

Newlon had Botox treatments in February and again this week. “The doctor removed my crow’s-feet and the lines in my forehead,” Newlon said. “It lasts about six months, it’s painless, and it makes a big difference in your appearance.”

As with any medical procedure, adverse effects are a possibility. The American Academy of Dermatology emphasizes that the patient’s safety comes first and should not be taken lightly. The academy cautions that a social event for the purpose of administering Botox is inappropriate and potentially dangerous.

Questions a patient should ask before having the treatment include: What are the doctor’s credentials? Is he/she a board-certified dermatologist or appropriately trained surgeon? What results can be expected? What are the risks? Where will the cosmetic surgery be performed? What is the cost?

Struck believes the policy on Botox parties will change because people are pushing it too far.

Newlon said that seeing how popular the Botox parties in Acacia C were, she is considering having additional parties to focus on women’s issues.