Gen Zers are leaning into Botox and injectables
On self-care days filled with haircuts, nail appointments and spa treatments, Botox and filler injections are becoming a staple of personal maintenance.
Cosmetic procedures have become increasingly popular since the start of the 2010s among people in their 20s. A 2017 American Society of Plastic Surgeons survey revealed a 28% increase in Botox procedures and a 32% increase in dermal fillers since 2010 among the 20-29 age group.
In fact, “for Gen Z, Botox and fillers are a necessary form of self-care,” according to TikToker Ashley Kriklen, an anchor for Cincinnati’s NBC affiliate, WLWT.
“I thought it was luxury, but now I definitely consider it regular maintenance,” said a woman to WLWT.
Botox vs. fillers
Botox is a toxin injected into a muscle to paralyze it, while fillers are thick gels put into hollow spaces to give a more voluptuous look.
Celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen and XXX have been open about their cosmetic procedures, bringing the practice into the mainstream. But there are a few things to keep in mind. — like whether you can remove the Botox/filler if you don’t like it or if you seem to be building an immunity to the procedure.
“Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers can be dissolved,” said plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Stong, owner and founder of Kalos Facial Plastic Surgery in Atlanta. “The HA fillers can accomplish everything the ones that are not reversible can accomplish, so I don’t see the benefits of using the ones that are not reversible.”
Stong said the non-reversible fillers are standard for most practices and claimed that it’s generally those who don’t do plastic surgery, like nurse injectors (a registered nurse specializing in Botox and filler injections) and dermatologists, who use non-reversible fillers.
What to consider before getting Botox or injectables
Dr. Randa Jaafar, CEO and founder of FILD Studio in New York, also gave her input about one of the possible side effects of starting treatment young.
“The only caveat for doing it at a younger age is I wouldn’t overdo it,” Dr. Jaafar told In The Know. “If you overdo Botox with time, you can have some tolerance. I would just make sure you do it within a moderate amount. And if you go to a professional, they will make sure you are not overdoing it.”
Why Botox and injectables use is increasing among Gen Z
There are several explanations for the uptick in injectables and botox among the younger generation, including accessibility and societal acceptance, but several experts feel there is one main reason.
“The No. 1 biggest reason is social media,” said Dr. Jaafar. “We’re all looking at ourselves a lot more.”
“Social media. Camera phones,” agreed Dr. Stong.
On TikTok, the hashtag #preventativebotox has over 33 million views from a long list of videos.
“To all the people who hated on [me] for getting botox when I was 21… I’m 29 now and still no wrinkles,” wrote @np.miranda in her post.
While experts acknowledge the growing interest among Gen Z, they don’t necessarily see anything wrong with the trend.
Cosmetic surgeries are becoming a norm, and according to Dr. Stong, there is only a problem when a person begins to look “cartoonish.“ Outside of that, he believes that it’s beneficial to start at a young age for anti-aging procedures because you’re “delaying the formation of wrinkles.”
In fact, “the younger, the better.”
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