Tupperware Party Or Botox Party?

NAPLES, Fla. -- It's sort of like a Tupperware party, but with a difference -- hypodermic needles.

Botox parties are all the rage among aging baby boomers trying erase years and wrinkles. Federal regulators recently approved Botulinum Toxin injections as a cosmetic procedure.

Botox is often used on the upper third of the face to eliminate frown lines and crows feet.

It paralyzes muscles in the forehead and around the eyes, making wrinkles disappear.

"You'll notice in about 24-48 hours some of the effects working," University of Texas Southwestern plastic surgeon William Adams Jr. said.

At a Botox party, the hostess gets her shots for free, while the guests are charged about $250 a pop.

One by one, women line up for a shot or two. "I heard some of my friends say they were doing it and I don't want to be left out, of course. So, I'm going, 'Sign me up'," Botox user Brenda Gray said.

"We're all in our late 40s and early 50s, and we still feel like we're 20. And you look in the mirror and think, 'Who is that? My mother?'," Botox user Susie Swanson said.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Maloney of Naples, Fla., said the most frequent question he gets is: Does it hurt?

Patient Joyce Chad said the shots aren't painful and work great. But Maloney cautions the anti-wrinkle effect only lasts a few months.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that Botox was the most popular cosmetic procedure performed last year, even though it was only recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

However, if you're thinking of finding beauty by Botox, you need to be warned: 1 percent of people will experience side effects like droopy eyes, swelling and numbness.

Also, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, a casual social setting like a Botox party is "an inappropriate and a potentially dangerous setting for performing medical procedures of any kind."