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Medical practice

Prescription Coming Soon for Hyaluronic Acid Products

Publié le 10 juin 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Some people who want to reduce their wrinkles and dark circles or inflate their lips use injections of hyaluronic acid. This practice will soon be more closely monitored. From 1^er in july 2024, medical devices or injectable products containing hyaluronic acid will only be available on medical prescription due to the serious health risks they pose.

In recent years, individuals and non-health professionals have been obtaining and giving injections of hyaluronic acid for cosmetic purposes on themselves or others, as the Directorate-General for Health has pointed out. A decree issued in Official Journal may 31, 2024 advises that as of the 1^er july 2024 injectable medical devices, as well as aesthetic injectable products, that contain hyaluronic acid may only be supplied:

to doctors for their professional use;
to patients with a medical prescription.

Injectable medical devices containing hyaluronic acid may also be delivered to dental surgeonsand their prescription patients.

Reminder

In July 2022, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) reported receiving about forty reports of adverse reactions following injections of hyaluronic acid by unauthorized persons since the beginning of that year. These injections had been made to reduce wrinkles or to inflate the volume of a part of the body (cheekbones, lips, etc.). The ANSM recalled at that time that this practice carried out by non-doctors is dangerous and prohibited, as only health professionals are authorized to carry out this type of injection.

Please note

Possible side effects related to the misuse of injectable products containing hyaluronic acid include:

local infection of the area where the product was injected, which may become widespread if the localized infection is not managed promptly;
loss of vision when injecting into a blood vessel supplying the eye;
viral (including HIV) or bacterial contamination if the same material is used for more than one person.

How should hyaluronic acid injections proceed?

If you want to inject hyaluronic acid, you should consult a doctor experienced in this medical technique (or a dental surgeon, but only if it is a treatment for a disease). This healthcare professional should in particular:

make sure that there are no contraindications (your age, a disease that does not allow this type of injection to be given temporarily or permanently...);
present the different products used, the risks and side effects and the precautions to be taken after the injections;
obtain your informed consent on a document to be signed in which you acknowledge having been informed of the risks related to this technique;
check that your vaccinations are up to date.

On the day of injections, you should:

present you with a perfectly cleansed look, hair tied and without jewelry;
apply anesthetic cream prescribed by your doctor to the area where the injection will be given, 1 to 2 hours before the appointment.

After injections, it is recommended to:

do not expose yourself immediately to heat and sunlight;
do not exaggerate facial mimics, so as not to stress the injected areas excessively;
do not play violent sports.

It is possible to resume social and work activities immediately after the injections.

FYI

The costs of injections of hyaluronic acid for aesthetic purposes (medical consultation, product, injection procedures) are not covered by the Social Security; and the injections do not give entitlement to compensation for a possible work stoppage.

Please note

If you have a health problem with a product containing hyaluronic acid, you can let them know on the website dedicated to reports of adverse health events.