Warnings grow about risky IV drips and injections at unregulated med spas
The number of med spas and hydration clinics has ballooned, turning into a $15 billion wellness industry. Warnings about risky IV drips and injections are also growing.
When Bea Amma visited a med spa in 2021, she was hoping for treatments that would boost her energy and help burn off some body fat. She never imagined she would end up with a drug-resistant infection that would leave her scarred and still recovering more than two years later.
The number of med spas and hydration clinics has ballooned in recent years, turning into a $15 billion wellness industry offering a range of services, from IV therapy to skin care and cosmetic procedures.Kelsea Petersen / NBC NewsAmma, then 24, had just moved to California with dreams of becoming a fitness and lifestyle influencer. She was keen to get an injection of vitamins B12 and C, as well as a compound called deoxycholic acid that was supposed to melt fat away.
“They told me that the more areas of my body they inject, the better,” Amma said. She said she was injected more than 100 times in her arms, stomach and lower back with the combination of vitamins and fat-melting ingredients.
Within 24 hours, Amma felt dizzy and feverish. Each injection site, she said, was painful and oozed with pus.
“Anything touching my skin was excruciating,” she said. “My entire body felt like it was on fire.”
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