Shoppers Drug Mart is about to start offering Botox

Canada's largest retail pharmacy chain will soon have something stronger on tap to tackle those fine lines and wrinkles than retinol creams.

In fact, if all goes well with the GTA's new "Beauty Clinic by Shoppers Drug Mart" pilot store, you could one day be paying for Botox with PC Optimum Points. I'm not even kidding.

This weekend, Shoppers Drug Mart launches its own cosmetic dermatology clinic in Oakville, Ontario, with a second store planned for the Shops at Don Mills sometime in 2019.

Unlike the Beauty Boutiques found at many Toronto Shoppers Drug Mart locations, the Beauty Clinic won't be selling high end makeup and fragrances—at least, not exclusively.

Instead, it will focus on delivering cosmetic injections (read: Botox), dermal fillers (often used for lip augmentation), microdermabrasion, peels and a variety of laser services, all with the promise of "comfort and discretion."

Think less "Sephora" and more "every medical spa in Yorkville," complete with Nurse Practitioners at the helm.

"Our research shows these types of cosmetic procedures are second only to manicures and pedicures," said Shoppers SVP Rachel Huckle in a release announcing the news Wednesday morning. "But it's important that treatments are done by trusted professionals... We know our customers and can provide a safe, high quality experience for them."

The Oakville location opens to the public this Saturday, December 22, and will be the suburban town's only clinic to offer Picosure, a type of laser known for both tattoo removal and advanced skin rejuvenation.

"Patients will also have the benefit of earning and redeeming PC Optimum points on a variety of items and services," notes the Loblaw Companies Ltd.-owned drug store chain.

It might be worth checking up on that balance if you abandoned your Optimum Card back in February, when the program went haywire. One laser treatment could pay for a year's worth of toilet paper, if lasers are as expensive as they seem.