In a flourishing industry, the manufacturing and distribution of fake and counterfeit products is inevitable. The global circulation of fake and counterfeit products is prevalent and causes a great deal of trouble for official manufacturers, distributors and customers. In a market with so many different products available, how do you spot a fake?
Many people know how to spot a copy of a Rolex watch or a Louis Vuitton bag. They know which characteristics to look for in order to determine the authenticity of the product. When it comes to telling the difference between an authentic and a fake Rolex watch, there is a saying “If it feels light, it isn’t right”. This saying tells us that a fake product might feel different from an authentic product. However, what signs should you be looking for when buying products online? When you cannot feel the product in real life, how do you distinguish between authentic, fake and counterfeit products?
Everybody wants a piece of the cake
The global aesthetic market is continuously growing and is valued billions of dollars. We are all familiar with some of the most popular brands from leading manufacturers like Juvéderm from Allergan and Restylane from Galderma. Both manufacturers are indisputable making great profits as two of the leading manufacturers in the market.
In a market with economic growth and great profits, it is inevitable that manufacturers and distributors of fake and counterfeit products enter the market to get a piece of the profit cake. Moreover, given the very large number of dermal fillers available throughout the world, it is no surprise that counterfeit and fake products are being sold on the internet. Consequently, the circulation of fake and counterfeit products creates a certain distrust between buyers and sellers. It is therefore important to be aware and be safe when buying dermal fillers online.
Fake vs. counterfeit products
When you search for dermal fillers online, it is important to distinguish fake and counterfeit products. A counterfeit product is a product designed to deceive the buyer by branding the product with the same name as the authentic product. The packaging is almost identical to the original product making it very difficult to distinguish the counterfeit product from the original product. The only way to distinguish between a counterfeit and authentic product is to have a trained eye and to know the small details that cannot be easily replicated by illegal manufacturers.
A fake product, on the other hand, has a different name and branding than the original product. Though the name and the branding differ from the original product, the fake product still claims to have the same capabilities as the original product. For instance, if you ever see a watch from “Folex”, you instantly know it is a fake Rolex watch.
In the aesthetic market, counterfeit products are most prevalent and pose great risks to the patients. Counterfeit products often contain cheaper ingredients and other unknown substances that can cause various unwanted side effects like allergic reactions, damage to soft tissue and infections. It is therefore important to buy dermal fillers from a trustworthy partner.
Buyer beware
When you go online to buy dermal fillers, there are a number of things to be aware of to make sure that you buy authentic fillers from a trustworthy and responsible seller. In order to save you a lot of time searching the internet for do’s and don’ts, we have composed a list for you with things to be aware of:
- Is anyone there?
The first thing you need to check when you find an online provider of aesthetic products (or products in general) is if it is possible to contact the company. Is there just a contact form you need to fill out (and hope for a reply), or is there a phone number you can call? Maybe, there is an online chat available, where you can interact with real employees (and not just a robot or employee at a distant call center). If so, call the company or reach out on the chat. If you get a hold on a ‘real’ employee, the chances that the company is genuine just increased. - Product identification.
Products such as medical devices are required to have some sort of identification. An identification of a batch code/lot number is required in order to be able to trace and recall the products. In addition, such products are required to have an identification of the date until which the product may safely be used (the expiry date), expressed as the month and year. These identifications should always be on the package (except in few instances), and if you are ever in doubt, you can ask the seller for the identifications prior to making a purchase. - Where is the company located?
When you plan to buy dermal fillers online, it can be a good idea to check out where the company is located and where the products are shipped from. If the company is located within the EU, you can do a little background research on the company: most companies within the EU have a tax or VAT identification number. If you look it up in a local database and it exists, this number indicates that it is a legitimate company. - Prices.
If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Typically, if a product is super marked down compared to other products on the local market, there is a good chance that the product is a counterfeit. Even though product prices vary on the market, distributors and importers of authentic dermal fillers all initially buy products within a certain price range. This means when products change hands in the market, they will ultimately end up within the same price range (give and take). Therefore, if you suddenly come across a product priced much below the general market price; it is definitely a red flag. - Special trademarks.
A fake product will be obvious for most people in the industry: if someone offer you to buy cheap Festylane (instead of Restylane), you will know it is a fake. It is indeed more challenging to spot a counterfeit product, since it looks so close to the original product, that the naked eye will find it almost impossible to distinguish. However, if the product has an official holographic sticker, this is one thing to compare. Other things to look for on the outer packaging could be misspelling or the use of a different font. A real life case from Allergan showed a counterfeit Juvéderm Ultra 4, where there was a misspelling on one side of the outer packaging. On the authentic product it said ”Science of Rejuvenation” but on the counterfeit product it said “Science of Erjuvenation”. In the same case, the font of the word ALLERGAN was also incorrect. - Social media.
Is the company present on the social media? If yes, it is a sign that the company is legitimate. Try to search for the company on various media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to see if they are active and publish new posts on a regular basis. If the company updates its social media profiles regularly and post relevant information and pictures of products, employees and facilities, it definitely increases the company’s credibility. In addition, is the company responding to comments left by customers and followers? If yes, it means that the company is responsive and that someone is on the other end of the line. - What does people say?
It is good if a company praises itself, but it is even better if someone outside the company is saying something positive about the company. Look for company recommendations on different rating sites like My Google Business or testimonials from customers on the company’s own website. If the ratings and testimonials out there are positive and other customers have had good experiences dealing with the company, why shouldn’t you? Admitted, it is not all companies you will find on rating sites, but be sure that if the company is a scam, people will spread the word. Bad experiences travel fast on the internet.
Happy shopping
These points are just some of the things you should be ware of when you buy dermal fillers online. In general, it is always a good idea to bring your common sense when you search for dermal fillers online. If something seems odd or wrong, or simply too good to be true, it most likely is.
Good luck :)
By Direct Derma Supplies | June 4, 2018
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