Current:Home > MyGen Z is overdoing Botox, and it's making them look old. When is the right time to get it?-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Gen Z is overdoing Botox, and it's making them look old. When is the right time to get it?
View Date:2024-12-23 16:33:05
Many Gen Zers are known for embracing all things skincare and anti-aging − but has their obsession with Botox gone too far?
On TikTok, the #botox tag has accumulated 1.3 million posts, with some in their early twenties even going viral for looking much older than they actually are, thanks to overdoing Botox, fillers and other cosmetic treatments.
Gen Z's Botox craze isn't just relegated to social media. According to a 2022 survey from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, close to 75 percent of facial plastic surgeons reported an increase in the number of patients they've seen under 30 requesting cosmetic surgery or injectables.
Dermatologists also tell USA TODAY many of these patients cite concerns about looking old, despite still being in their early twenties.
"It's mostly not necessary and just a real source of anxiety," dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy says of Botox for Gen Z. "Oftentimes they're moving their face, and we don't even see wrinkles, but this is what they're afraid of."
So when is the right time to consider Botox, if at all? Dermatologists say the answer varies depending on the individual, but, in general, your 20s are way too soon. In fact, Botox during this phase of life can create more problems than it solves.
Those viral 'Love Island' cast photos,Kylie Jenner and when cosmetic treatments age you
Why Gen Z should wait to get Botox
People get Botox, or botulinum toxin, injected for a variety of reasons, including to smooth wrinkles and treat migraines.
Though Botox has become more common, aspects of it remain widely misunderstood by Gen Z, contributing to their misuse of it, dermatologists say.
For instance, Jeffy says, many Gen Zers don't realize Botox must be done regularly over time to maintain results. Botox results usually last for three or four months, and regular rounds can be costly.
"That's a really long road ahead when you're starting this out in your 20s," Jeffy says. "There's a little bit of a misconception among some of my patients I've chatted with who just think that, 'Oh, you kind of get this done once, and then you never have to think about it again.' "
Is it worth it?‘Barbie Botox’ trend has people breaking the bank to make necks longer.
Jeffy says she's also seen many Gen Z patients express interest in "preventive Botox" − that is, Botox to stave off wrinkles before they develop.
While there's some merit to this strategy, Jeffy doesn't usually recommend it. Instead, she says, most people are better off saving Botox for their 30s or 40s, when wrinkles actually develop.
"The right time (to get Botox) is when someone is really starting to see a faint, fixed line, meaning they see it there when their face is not moving," she says.
Kristin Cavallari talks plastic surgery:More celebs should do the same.
When Botox backfires
Botox can also make someone who doesn't have wrinkles look older if it's overdone or not done well. If someone looks like they've gotten a lot of Botox, people may think that person is at an age when Botox is usually necessary to smooth out wrinkles.
Botox can also alter your face shape in negative ways if done poorly.
"It can change the shape of their eyebrow and almost make them look older, because they can't emote anymore and they almost look robotic," dermatologist Dr. Anthony Rossi says. "Unfortunately, we've seen a lot of bad Botox just from untrained people or people who are doing it that don't really have an aesthetic eye."
Pamela Anderson ditched makeup.There's a lot we can learn from her.
It's also possible to develop resistance to Botox the more you get it. This becomes an issue when someone overdoes Botox in their 20s, only for the treatment to not work as well when they're older and actually have wrinkles.
"I have seen it happen, and that's why I'm very cautious," Rossi says. "They may think more is more, but it's really not."
What Gen Z should prioritize instead of Botox
Psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis previously told USA TODAY that, while she's fine with people pursuing cosmetic treatments if they wish, they should examine their motives for doing so − and understand superficial changes won't resolve deeper issues.
A cosmetic treatment is not a decision to take lightly or rush. For Gen Zers who want youthful, healthy skin, Rossi says wearing sunscreen every day will do much more than Botox will. Staying hydrated and avoiding cigarettes and alcohol will help too.
"If I have a patient coming in for regular Botox and they're sunburnt, I'm like, 'What are you doing?'" he says.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Kendall Jenner Is Back to Being a Brunette After Ditching Blonde Hair
- Whoa! 'Golden Bachelorette' first impression fails, including that runaway horse
- OPINION: BBC's Mohamed Al-Fayed documentary fails to call human trafficking what it is
- Sarah Michelle Gellar Shares Rare Video of Her and Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Daughter Charlotte
- Kentucky governor says investigators will determine what caused deadly Louisville factory explosion
- Josh Heupel's rise at Tennessee born out of Oklahoma firing that was blessing in disguise
- 'SNL' taps Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, John Mulaney for Season 50 lineup
- Attorney Demand Letter Regarding Unauthorized Use and Infringement of [ASCENDANCY Investment Education Foundation's Brand Name]
- Climate Advocacy Groups Say They’re Ready for Trump 2.0
- A new life is proposed for Three Mile Island supplying power to Microsoft data centers
Ranking
- Report: Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence could miss rest of season with shoulder injury
- Eva Mendes Admits She Felt Lost After Having Kids With Ryan Gosling
- Porn-making former University of Wisconsin campus leader argues for keeping his teaching job
- Postal Service chief frustrated at criticism, but promises ‘heroic’ effort to deliver mail ballots
- Love Is Blind’s Chelsea Blackwell Reacts to Megan Fox’s Baby News
- AP Week in Pictures: Global
- Nebraska resurgence just the latest Matt Rhule college football rebuild bearing fruit
- The Bachelorette’s Devin Strader Breaks Silence on Past Legal Troubles
Recommendation
-
Summer I Turned Pretty's Gavin Casalegno Marries Girlfriend Cheyanne Casalegno
-
Ohio sheriff condemned for saying people with Harris yard signs should have their addresses recorded
-
Elle King Addresses Relationship With Dad Rob Schneider Amid Viral Feud
-
North Carolina judge won’t prevent use of university digital IDs for voting
-
Veterans Day restaurant deals 2024: More than 80 discounts, including free meals
-
‘They try to keep people quiet’: An epidemic of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes
-
California governor signs package of bills giving state more power to enforce housing laws
-
Kentucky judge shot at courthouse, governor says