Gen Z is obsessed with Botox — and it’s making them look old: ‘They almost look robotic’
Botox is supposed to preserve youth, but for Gen Z, it’s expediting the aging process.
The botulinum toxin — meant to reduce the appearance and worsening of fine lines and wrinkles — is making Zoomers look older than they are, as an influx of young patients seek out preventative treatments such as “baby Botox.”
“It’s mostly not necessary and just a real source of anxiety,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy told USA Today. “Oftentimes they’re moving their face, and we don’t even see wrinkles, but this is what they’re afraid of.”
In 2022, 75% of plastic surgeons saw a surge in patients under 30 years of age, according to data from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and while some doctors are thrilled by the prospect of younger people taking better care of themselves, others argue it’s too soon to receive injectables.
“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,” Jeffy explained.
Because of how frequently Botox injections are needed to maintain a smooth complexion — about every three to six months — it’s “a really long road ahead when you’re starting this out in your 20s,” she added.
“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.'”
Starting too young can also alter the appearance of certain facial features and make 20-somethings appear decades older than they really are.
The “‘Love Island’ effect,” for instance, was a cheeky term coined by fans of the reality series to reference the cast’s cosmetic procedures that made them appear much more mature than they were.
“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,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anthony Rossi told USA Today of Botox injections.
“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.”
And, not to mention, all that Botox early in life could be for naught down the line — the body can become resistant to the effects of Botox with increased exposure.
“I have seen it happen, and that’s why I’m very cautious,” Rossi continued. “They may think more is more, but it’s really not.”
