Medications and Injections from the Internet: Why Self-Administration Is Dangerous

On social media, many beauty, weight-loss and body hacks look surprisingly simple. A video supposedly explains the correct injection technique, an online shop promises fast results, and influencers report visible changes within just a few weeks.

Whether GLP-1 injections for weight loss, peptides, SARMs, hormones, steroids, so-called fat burners or hyaluronic acid fillers: medical products are increasingly being ordered online and used without medical supervision.

But this is precisely where the problem lies.

Anyone ordering medications or injectable products from unreliable sources often has no way of knowing exactly what they contain, whether the dosage is correct, whether the product is sterile or what side effects may occur.

Why products from the internet can be so risky

Medications and injectable products are normally subject to strict requirements. It is not simply a question of whether an active ingredient can work. Quality, purity, dosage, manufacturing, storage, sterility and medical supervision are equally important.

With products from unregulated online sources, this level of safety is often precisely what is missing.

A professional-looking online shop, attractive packaging or testimonials on social media say nothing about whether a product is approved, correctly stored, properly dosed or even genuine.

Possible risks include:

• incorrect or missing information about active ingredients
• dosages that are too high or too low
• contamination
• undeclared pharmacological substances
• lack of sterility in injectable products
• counterfeit packaging
• incorrect storage or expired products

This is particularly dangerous with injections. Once a substance is injected into or beneath the skin, into a muscle or into other tissue, the body cannot simply avoid exposure to it.

GLP-1 injections from the internet: weight loss without medical supervision?

Medications such as Ozempic^®, Wegovy^® and Mounjaro^® have significantly changed the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders. At the same time, the enormous public interest in these medications has led to GLP-1 products being offered through dubious online channels.

This is risky.

GLP-1 medications are not harmless lifestyle products. They affect hunger, satiety, digestion and metabolism and need to be used appropriately under medical supervision. This includes establishing the correct indication, selecting the appropriate dosage and taking possible side effects and contraindications into account.

The risks are particularly serious when supposed weight-loss injections come from unknown sources. In such cases, it may be unclear whether the stated active ingredient is actually present, whether the concentration is correct or whether the product is counterfeit.

Anyone injecting such a substance themselves is essentially conducting a medical experiment on their own body.

Peptides, SARMs, hormones and steroids are not harmless biohacks

Peptides, SARMs, hormones, steroids and similar substances are also sometimes presented online as harmless biohacks: build muscle faster, lose fat faster, recover more quickly, tan faster or specifically “optimise” the body.

However, these substances can interfere with complex bodily functions. Depending on the substance, they may affect hormonal balance, the cardiovascular system, liver, skin, mental health, metabolism or fertility.

In 2026, Swissmedic and Swiss Sport Integrity explicitly warned about illegally imported peptides sold through websites, social media and messaging services. These products often lack authorisation and quality control. Some are even marketed with terms such as “Research Chemical” or “not for human use” while simultaneously being promoted for self-administration.

Such warnings should not be reassuring – they should be a red flag.

If a product is officially not intended for human use but is nevertheless being recommended in fitness, anti-ageing or beauty communities, particular caution is required.

DIY fillers: when aesthetic injections are performed at home

This dangerous trend has also reached aesthetic medicine. When professional treatments seem too expensive or someone wants an immediate change, fillers may be ordered online and injection techniques learned through social media.

With hyaluronic acid fillers in particular, the consequences can be severe.

A filler is not a cosmetic product that can simply be injected wherever volume is desired. The face contains complex vascular structures, nerves and sensitive tissue layers. If filler is accidentally injected into or around a blood vessel, the blood supply to the tissue can be compromised.

Possible consequences range from severe swelling, bruising and infections to serious vascular complications or tissue damage.

There is also the additional risk associated with the product itself: with fillers from unknown sources, there is no certainty that they are approved, sterile, correctly stored or even suitable for the intended application.

A video is no substitute for medical training

What looks simple in a short social media video requires medical knowledge in reality.

Safe injections require, among other things, knowledge of anatomy, vascular structures, sterile technique, product selection, dosage, possible side effects and the correct response to complications.

Being able to hold a needle does not mean being able to inject safely.

This applies to fillers just as much as it does to medications, hormones or weight-loss injections. The combination of an unknown product, lack of diagnosis, incorrect dosage and absence of medical supervision is particularly dangerous.

Why “cheap” can become expensive

Many people order medications or injectable products online because they want to save money, obtain a product more quickly or hope for a simple solution.

But when something goes wrong, the consequences can be far more serious than the original cost of professional treatment. Infections, allergic reactions, tissue damage, circulatory problems, hormonal side effects or incorrectly dosed active ingredients may require medical or even emergency treatment.

Not every complication can be completely reversed. Particularly in cases of impaired blood flow, tissue damage or severe side effects, rapid medical intervention can be crucial.

Our conclusion

Medications and injections from the internet are not a harmless shortcut.

The greatest risk often lies in not knowing with certainty what the product actually contains, whether the dosage is correct, whether it is sterile and what side effects may occur.

GLP-1 injections, peptides, SARMs, hormones, steroids, fillers and other injectable products from unreliable sources should not be used for self-administration.

Responsible treatment does not begin with an online shop or a tutorial. It begins with professional medical advice, the selection of a safe and appropriate product and medically responsible administration.