A DIY Botox pack was recently found for sale on popular Internet auction site Ebay. The pack, containing Botox powder, needles and a face map, was available without a prescription, shoppers’ magazine Which? Computing revealed. The kit was promptly removed as soon as Which? alerted the website.

‘It’s easy to forget that it is actually a poison which, if injected in the wrong area, could produce some shocking results,’ said Which? editor Sarah Kidner. She continued ‘we were appalled we were able to buy a DIY kit so easily and we are concerned the Internet is becoming a marketplace for cut-price cosmetic treatments.’

Botulism injections are used to smooth lines and wrinkles – but the procedure can be dangerous if not carried out by a medical professional. The UK Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority said it had no jurisdiction over companies operating in the US, where the Botox was being sold from. The authority has, however, upheld dozens of complaints over misleading advertising in Britain.

Unlicensed tanning injection Melanotan was also being sold on a British website, Which? revealed. The site, which has now been shut down, was offering Melanotan with syringes and instructions on how to inject it into the stomach.