Site enhancement oil
Site enhancement oil are compounds injected into muscles to increase their size. Synthol[1] is injected into muscles to create larger bulges, or injecting PMMA into muscles to shape them. Use of PMMA to shape muscles is prohibited in the United States.[2] However, it is not illegal to use synthol.[3][4]
Site enhancement oil, often called santol or synthol (no relation to the Synthol mouthwash brand), refers to oils injected into muscles to increase the size or change the shape. Some bodybuilders, particularly at the professional level, inject their muscles with such mixtures to mimic the appearance of developed muscle where it may otherwise be disproportionate or lacking.[4] This is known as "fluffing".[1][5] Synthol is 85% oil, 7.5% lidocaine, and 7.5% alcohol.[1] It is not restricted, and many brands are available on the Internet.[6] The use of injected oil to enhance muscle appearance is common among bodybuilders,[7][8] despite the fact that synthol can cause pulmonary embolisms, nerve damage, infections, sclerosing lipogranuloma,[9] stroke,[1] and the formation of oil-filled granulomas, cysts or ulcers in the muscle.[8][10][11] Rare cases might require surgical intervention to avoid further damage to the muscle and/or to prevent loss of life.
Sesame oil is often used in such mixtures, which can cause allergic reactions such as vasculitis.[12]
As the injected muscle is not actually well-developed, it might droop under gravity.[6]
References
- Pupka, Artur; Sikora, Julita; Mauricz, Jakub; Cios, Dariusz; Plonek, Tomasz (2009). "The usage o f the Synthol in the body building". Polymers in Medicine. 39 (1): 63–65. ISSN 0370-0747. PMID 19580174.
- "Buttock Lift & Augmentation | PMMA Injections | Non-Surgical BBL". internationalsurgery.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- "Synthol: The New Vice of Bodybuilding | The Sport Digest". thesportdigest.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
- "Which Body Building Substances Are Legal (and Illegal) in the US?". BodyPass.net | Expertise and Experience are combined in one Fitness portal. 2020-07-22. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
- Childs, Dan (May 16, 2007). "Like Implants for the Arms: Synthol Lures Bodybuilders: Risky Injections Mean Massive Muscles for Users". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- Foggo, Daniel (May 13, 2007). "Bodybuilders puff up with 'Popeye the Sailorman' oil jab". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- Henriksen, TF; Løvenwald, JB; Matzen, SH (18 January 2010). "[Paraffin oil injection in bodybuilders calls for preventive action]". Ugeskrift for Laeger. 172 (3): 219–20. PMID 20089216.
- Iversen, L; Lemcke, A; Bitsch, M; Karlsmark, T (2009). "Compression bandage as treatment for ulcers induced by intramuscular self-injection of paraffin oil". Acta Dermato-venereologica. 89 (2): 196–7. doi:10.2340/00015555-0583. PMID 19326015. S2CID 5312926.
- Schäfer, Ch. N.; Hvolris, J.; Karlsmark, T.; Plambech, M. (April 2012). "Muscle enhancement using intramuscular injections of oil in bodybuilding: review on epidemiology, complications, clinical evaluation and treatment". European Surgery. 44 (2): 109–115. doi:10.1007/s10353-011-0033-z. S2CID 27634653.
- Darsow, Ulf; Bruckbauer, Harald; Worret, Wolf-Ingo; Hofmann, Heidelore; Ring, Johannes (February 2000). "Subcutaneous oleomas induced by self-injection of sesame seed oil for muscle augmentation". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 42 (2): 292–294. doi:10.1016/S0190-9622(00)90144-0. PMID 10642691.
- Schäfer, C. N.; Guldager, H.; Jørgensen, H. L. (January 2011). "Multi-Organ Dysfunction in Bodybuilding Possibly Caused by Prolonged Hypercalcemia due to Multi-Substance Abuse: Case Report and Review of Literature". International Journal of Sports Medicine. 32 (1): 60–65. doi:10.1055/s-0030-1267200. PMID 21072745. S2CID 44679273.
- Koopman, M.; Richter, C.; Parren, R. J. M.; Janssen, M. (2005). "Bodybuilding, sesame oil and vasculitis". Rheumatology. 44 (9): 1135. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh712. PMID 16113147.
Further reading
- Sisti, Andrea; Huayllani, Maria T.; Restrepo, David J.; Boczar, Daniel; Manrique, Oscar J.; Broer, Peter N.; Shapiro, Shane A.; Forte, Antonio J. (2020). "Oil injection for cosmetic enhancement of the upper extremities: a case report and review of literature". Acta Bio Medica : Atenei Parmensis. 91 (3): e2020082. doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.8533. ISSN 0392-4203. PMC 7716972. PMID 32921778.