Is Botox vegan friendly and cruelty-free?
We were recently asked if Botox injections were Vegan friendly or not and truth be told it was a grey area. So, we did a bit of research and this is what we found.
Unlike food, where if it’s vegan or even vegetarian, it’s clearly marked on the packaging but when it comes to cosmetic procedures and products, working out whether they’re vegan or not can be more confusing.
What is the definition of vegan?
It is defined as ‘a person who does not eat or use any animal products.’
The Vegan society estimated that about 600 thousand people in the UK followed a vegan diet in 2019 and this would have certainly gone up in the last 3 years. Even if you aren’t vegan, there is a growing number of us searching out cruelty-free products and treatments that don’t include animal ingredients or are involved in animal testing.
There are two main points that need to be considered to pass the vegan test:
Firstly – The ingredients of the actual product. For a product to be vegan, it must contain no animal products and no ingredients derived from animals.
Secondly – How the product was formulated and developed. If the product was not tested on animals, it is considered to be ‘cruelty-free’ and this is then classed as truly Vegan.
Is Botox vegan?
The actual product ‘Botulinum Toxin’ IS Vegan friendly because it contains nothing of animal origin. Phew!
HOW Botulinum Toxin (Botox) is formulated, however, is a different matter. Botox is considered and classified as a prescription-only medicine and therefore BY LAW has to be tested on animals before it can be used for humans, to ensure its safety and efficacy.
All the medications which we could potentially take, from the basic Paracetamol to major immunity compromising medications, have been tested on animals at some point. It’s sad but this is the harsh reality.
With regards to Botox injections, the great news is that pharmaceutical company Allergan, whose products include Botox, have set out to eliminate animal testing by 95% in the next three years.
Another lesser-known consideration regarding Botox is that it is prepared using an egg base. Yep. In fact, doctors are warned to never administer Botox to anyone with an egg allergy as it could trigger an allergic reaction. Allergies aside, if you’re vegan, this may very well be an issue for you too.
Should vegans have Botox injections?
In our opinion, it is a totally personal choice. Just like whether or not you love or hate Botox it’s an individual choice, as is the decision to be vegan or not.
What do you think? Does the fact that it has previously been tested on animals matter? Then we must ask can a vegan avoid all types of medicines? Let us know…
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