Lidlift Kenneth D. Steinsapir, M.D.
Cosmetic, Facial & Eye Plastic Surgery

Silicone Oil

This product is only FDA approved for use in repairing complex retinal detachments. This does not seem to prevent both physicians and non-physicians from injecting silicone oil into the face and other parts of the body. The history of silicone injections is long and sordid. It is true that physicians can use FDA approved drugs for non-approved uses. However, the damage caused by silicone oil has been so heinous that the FDA has aggressively gone after physicians who persist in injecting these products into patients. Be aware that not all silicone oils are suitable for injection into the human body. Many of these products are actually industrial lubricants never intended of use in humans. However, lay injectors are out there traveling to hair salons and other unsupervised setting to perform these treatments. These bogus treatments are certainly much cheeper than being treated with FDA approved fillers. Pumping parties where lay injectors treat with silicone oil are reported to be on the rise. A woman died in Florida after being injected with a large volume of silicone oil into the buttocks. Other deaths related to silicone oil injections have been reported. Even small facial treatments into the lip and nasolabial fold over time can result permanent and irrepairable facial disfigurement. Friends don’t let friends do silicone oil.