Drive-through Botox: Florida doctor launches clinic in his garage for residents in lockdown

Celebrity doctor Michael Salzhauer, known as Dr Miami, is offering the injectable treatment from his home garage

Michael Salzhauer, a plastic surgeon known as Dr. Miami, prepares a shot while conducting drive-through Botox injections in the garage of his clinic, as Miami-Dade County eases some of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Miami, Florida, U.S., May 31, 2020. Picture taken May 31, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello

Dr Miami, Michael Salzhauer, has started a drive-through Botox clinic for Florida patients in lockdown. Reuters

Jun 11, 2020

As salons around the world have closed in line with Covid-19 regulations, one Florida doctor has got creative with his Botox clinic, offering a drive-through service from the garage of his home.

Michael Salzhauer, a celebrity doctor known as Dr Miami on Instagram and on his TV series of the same name, was inspired to launch the novel beauty service when he went to a drive-through coronavirus testing clinic, according to Reuters.

“The areas that we inject Botox are the upper face, exactly the parts of the face that aren’t covered by the mask so it’s really ideal,” Dr Salzhauer said.

Michael Salzhauer, a plastic surgeon known as Dr. Miami, applies Botox to a patient while conducting drive-through Botox injections in the garage of his clinic, as Miami-Dade County eases some of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Miami, Florida, U.S., May 31, 2020. Picture taken May 31, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello — Michael Salzhauer, a plastic surgeon known as Dr Miami, applies Botox to a patient from his drive-through clinic in his garage. Reuters

The garage is located in the affluent of Bal Harbour neighbourhood in Miami. Reuters reported that the treatment costs $600 (Dh2,204).

Interested patients can book online, however the website takes some navigating. Before they get access to the full website, and presumably price lists and treatment menus, they have to "pre-qualify" for an appointment, then wait three to five days for a patient co-ordinator to get in contact.

Michael Salzhauer, a plastic surgeon known as Dr. Miami, uses a device to measure body temperature while conducting drive-through Botox injections in the garage of his clinic, as Miami-Dade County eases some of the lockdown measures put in place during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Miami, Florida, U.S., May 31, 2020. Picture taken May 31, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello — Michael Salzhauer uses a device to measure body temperature while conducting a drive-through Botox clinic. Reuters

Would-be patients submit their age, height and weight into an online form, and disclose any notable medical history.

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As part of the second step, they disclose their full name, email address and phone number, with photos of their front, back, left and right profile views, not including their face, and choose the procedures they would be interested in receiving. It is at this stage that they indicate whether or not they would need financing.

Treatments on offer, when the clinic is at full capacity, include fat transfers, tummy tucks, rhinoplasty, liposuction, breast augmentation, "mummy makeovers", fillers and, of course, Botox.

“It’s very creative, and after seeing how they’re running it I feel just as comfortable as I would in the office,” patient Arman Ohevshalom, 36, told Reuters, when he was waiting in line for his injections.

In the UAE, clinics are currently offering Botox services once again. The National contacted clinics in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, all of which confirmed they are offering Botox treatments "as normal".