Irish Beautician fined €6,000 for illegally injecting toxin

A beautician who illegally performed botulinum toxin treatments in her Dublin salon, despite being warned she was breaking the law, has been fined €6,000.

Viktoriya Bulankova, of Luttrellstown Place, Carpenterstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to charges contrary to the Medicines Board Act. The businesswoman faced 19 charges for unlawfully importing, advertising, and administering the antiwrinkle drug. She administered the treatment at her business, Visona Beauty, St Brigid’s Shopping Centre, in Blanchardstown, in Dublin. Her prosecution came following an investigation by the Health Products Regulatory Authority, formerly the Irish Medicines Board. Judge John O’Neill at Dublin District Court noted that, while she had some medical training in Russia, her qualifications were not recognised in Ireland.

Bulankova admitted she had imported and administered Botox on a number of clients over a period of time”. Steven Dixon, defending, asked the judge to note his client had co-operated with the investigation and paid their legal costs of €1,500. However, the judge said he had to record convictions. He imposed fines of €1,000 on six of the charges. The remaining 13 connected charges to which she also pleaded guilty were taken into consideration.