Botox has been around for decades, but it wasn’t until recently that the drug became a household name. The FDA approved the use of botulinum toxin in 2002, and since then, cosmetic procedures have skyrocketed.
Botox has been around for a while, but it wasn’t until recently that it became popular. Now, people are getting botox to help with wrinkles and other skin issues.
THEY DRINK AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WATER. They slurp blueberry-kale smoothies down. Silk pillowcases are used to sleep on. Every night, they apply Pond’s Cold Cream, exactly like Grandma. Liquid collagen, vitamin D, chlorophyll, magnesium, and chocolate are all recommended. They use a jade roller, their fingers, or steel balls to massage their faces. They have exceptional genetics. They are completely unaware.
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So go the many reasons offered by people with flawless, ageless skin. Whether these cryptic remarks are made by celebrities in glossy publications, or by your acquaintances, coworkers, and even family members, they may obscure the reality that dermatologists helped create the “perfection.” Since the FDA authorized the neurotoxic Botox for wrinkle smoothing in 2002, millions of men and women have made it, along with its injectable brethren: dermal fillers like Juvederm and fat-cell-zappers like Kybella, a regular part of their skincare regimens. For decades, cosmetic dermatology procedures have been cloaked in secrecy, with potential patients obtaining recommendations and stories from cosmetic dermatologists via whisper networks and covert Google searches.
However, “transparency” is more than a term in 2023. For oversharing influencers, real-talk business types, and direct-to-consumer merchants (the popular apparel brand Everlane uses the phrase “radical transparency” to describe its manufacturing method), it’s a way of life. It’s no wonder that individuals of all ages are now talking about their dermatologist appointments, given this new interest in uber-honesty. “I believe this entire trend of being honest, open, and exposing your faults has really begun in the past couple of years,” said Whitney Buha, a lifestyle blogger who has documented her Botox experiences—both good and bad—with her 100,000 Instagram followers for three years.
Wendy Williams, the talk-show presenter who has been open about her cosmetic dermatology, will appear on Seth Meyers’ “Late Night” this year.
courtesy of Getty Images
Dr. David Kim, a dermatologist at Union Square Dermatology in San Francisco, stated, “Honestly, I believe it began with the Kardashians.” True, throughout the last decade, members of that renowned family have openly disclosed their procedures, which have ranged from Botox (Kim) to lip filler (Kim) (Kylie). It isn’t only them, though: Actresses such as Robin Wright and Olivia Colman have spoken up about their Botox usage, while talk-show presenter Wendy Williams broadcast a piece on her show last year showing herself having Botox injected into her jawline. (When approached via agents, the celebrities named declined to speak more.) On social media, where TikTokers and Instagrammers reveal the detail of their dermatological regimens, transparency is becoming more prevalent. And a few years ago, I observed a change in my own circle: hitherto guarded friends and acquaintances in their 30s and 40s started admitting to cosmetic procedures that went beyond the standard facial.
Some people want to be honest about what it takes to appear perfect, as opposed to the smoke and mirrors of “I woke up like this.” Amy Marietta, a Los Angeles content producer who has openly discussed her Botox and lip filler experiences, stated, “It’s not going to happen miraculously.” “It’s so much better to be upfront and honest about it than to advise them to go put olive oil on their faces,” she added, “I don’t want young girls to be confused.”
Cosmetic procedures are not for everyone, despite the fact that honesty is a virtue worth preserving. Even if they open up about what it took to get them to appear that way, these celebrities and influencers are still promoting beauty standards that are out of reach for the majority of people. “It’s this double-edged sword,” Ms. Buha said, “where you want to be honest but don’t want to tell everyone what you did because then those people feel obligated to do the same.” “I have to say ‘no’ to a lot of individuals because I believe, number one, they don’t need it, and number two, they often have unrealistic expectations,” Dr. Kim, who has observed an increase in under-30 patients influenced by social media, said.
Dr. Amy Wechsler, a dermatologist and psychiatrist in Increased York City who co-hosts the podcast “Am I Embarrassing You?” with her daughter Zoe, links this new openness to Gen Z’s readiness to discuss formerly taboo subjects like money. “As time passes, these treatments become more accepted and less taboo among individuals of all ages,” she added, “but I do believe that younger people just speak more about virtually everything.”
“Older patients still don’t necessarily speak to their friends about it, or they may remark, ‘Gosh, I didn’t know all of my friends had been getting Botox and no one has been talking about it for years,” the doctor said. Patients in their 40s and older have told Dr. Kim that they prefer to pay cash for treatments because they don’t want their spouse to see the credit card transaction and find out. “It used to be extremely ‘behind closed doors,’ where [you] would just tell your closest friend,” he said, “but today people discuss it freely on social media and with everyone they meet.”
Dr. Wechsler has always been upfront about the injectables she’s had done, including Jeuveau/Botox and Juvederm, in the press and with patients because, as she put it, “I want to normalize it for people.” If patients are talking about treatments, they can make better choices. She said, “If you can pick other people’s brains, you’re not making a choice in a vacuum.” “It’s nearly always beneficial to be more open about a topic.”
This year, blogger Whitney Buha revealed her Botox-induced eyelid ptosis to her numerous followers.
Whitney Buha is seen here.
With greater knowledge, prospective patients will be better aware of the benefits as well as the dangers associated with cosmetic treatments. Ms. Buha, a Chicago blogger, had been documenting her Botox usage for years without incident until she went in for her regular forehead injections at a certified medical spa in March and was left with slightly uneven brows. To rectify it, the nurse practitioner increased the number of units in one of the eyebrows. Ms. Buha had eyelid ptosis, or eyelid drooping, as a result of the injection, which is a known Botox side effect that occurs when the region is inadvertently paralyzed. She was sent to another area injector by a cosmetic surgeon at the medspa, who gave eyedrops and further corrective Botox, which finally improved after two weeks (although it took over three months to return to normal). Ms. Buha documented the entire experience on her social media platforms and spoke to the press about it. “I thought it was a very excellent approach to educate and raise awareness about something like this,” she added.
Although all of the men and women I talked with for this article welcomed the trend toward more transparency, disclosing everything publicly or even to one’s friends and family may be difficult. One 30-something executive I talked with was eager about sharing her Botox and CoolSculpting experiences with me, but she was hesitant to share her name for fear of humiliation at work. Many users on Reddit and the anonymous social-media site Blind continue to exchange discreet cosmetic-procedure advice behind pseudonyms. Although honesty seems to be a wonderful idea in principle, not everyone is ready to live a completely open life.
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Botox, a popular cosmetic treatment for wrinkles and migraines, is no longer a secret. In fact, it has become so popular that many people are turning to the injections for other medical conditions such as depression and anxiety. Reference: botox for migraines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when you stop using Botox?
Botox is a protein that is injected into the skin to temporarily paralyze the muscles in order to reduce wrinkles and create smoother, more youthful-looking skin.
Does Botox make you look worse over time?
Although Botox is not a permanent fix for wrinkles, it will make the wrinkles you have now less noticeable.
Does Botox work better the second time?
Botox is not meant to be used repeatedly. If you need to use it again, its likely because the first time was unsuccessful.
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