Is an IV Vitamin Drip the New Magic Potion for Fashion Week?

At the beginning of New York Fashion Week, some of Kaia Gerber's five million Instagram followers encountered a story post depicting an IV infusion with the caption, "Welcome to fashion week." While the post was soon deleted, it left a mark on her fashion-oriented followers who saw it, many of whom knew well the grueling, marathon nature of the month that lay ahead. Over the course of fashion month, top models jet-set across New York, London, Milan, and Paris to help showcase the onslaught of new collections from major brands, and the busiest among them end up walking miles in uncomfortable stilettos, attending fittings in between a jam-packed schedule of shows, and barely having time to eat or sleep properly between it all.

With all the non-stop action, it's completely understandable that many are left needing something extra to keep themselves in optimal shape.  Enter the IV vitamin drip. Some in the United States may be familiar, as these infusions of vitamins and minerals have grown in popularity among athletes and creatives in recent years, and the phenomenon is now making its way to Europe as well, so you can likely find vitamin drips across the entire fashion circuit.

Having risen in Hollywood, where the stars already swear by them, IV vitamin drips are now widely available for a price typically ranging anywhere from $100 to $1000, depending on the treatment administered. At "vitamin bars," many of which have earned their following by word of mouth, customers can make online reservations for these wellness treatments at locations with catchy names like The Drip Room or Drip Doctors. It's starting to feel like we are able to order this medical service as casually as a French manicure or teeth whitening, which is an interesting development. Certainly far from a prescription but still requiring administration by a trained professional, vitamin drips find their biggest clientele in unconventional health gurus and healers on the west coast. Famous faces such as Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chrissy Teigen, and Jennifer Aniston have all been recent converts to this new wellness craze. 

While we always try to remain open-minded to the newest health and beauty trends, seeing such a young crowd adapt this mysterious, less researched treatment makes us want to look into it more before singing its praises. So far, what we do know is that vitamin drips are typically formulated in collaboration with pharmacists, though the exact composition of the treatment's "magic formula" remains unclear, especially as each cocktail is different and requires varying doses. Some popular ingredients include vitamin C, B12, magnesium, calcium, potassium, glutathione (an antioxidant), NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, an enzyme regenerating cells), and electrolytes. One thing is certain: all are synthetic in nature, and in high doses, it can be difficult for the body to process them.

Some health concerns so far is that the overuse of vitamin drips will saturate and weaken the kidneys and liver, not to mention the risk of anaphylactic shock, thrombophlebitis (painful blood clots), and other health risks. If the Food and Drug Administration, which is in charge of reviewing IV products to ensure they are safe, has not yet approved them, one must carefully consider the safety implications before usage. The real danger, we wonder, is the possibility of addiction. The primary benefits of these regenerative, revitalizing vitamin drips are quite difficult to resist, as they allegedly can quickly and effectively compensate for all kinds of exhaustion-related issues: hangovers, jet lag, a pre- or post-party boost, immune system boosting, and more. While we already regularly ingest vitamins in other ways, it's important to be careful about dosage and frequency to ensure you don't get into a habit that's harmful, whether for your health or for your wallet.

I admit, I tried it