FOREVER YOUNG?

WITHOUT SHAME

Does Botox make you an Aphrodite or an emotionless sillicon doll? How the injectable is (possibly, without a wrinkle in sight) gaining popularity with Millennials. by KAELEY AVERYforever YOUNG?

BOTOX BY THE NUMBERS

In a world that’s ruled by images, selfies and high beauty standards, Millennials are breaking down the stigma of “having work done” and replacing it with the term “preventative aging.” There has been a 41 percent increase in people aged 19 to 34 receiving Botox treatments. Does it stop at one injection? Or is it a gateway for more plastic surgery?

*ANNUAL BOTOX UNITS IN PATIENTS AGED 16 TO 34

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

35,126 488,360 526,194 529,255 535,939

wWhen Vancouver-based blogger and influencer Kim Kerdsumran got her first set of injectables, she claimed it was “the best decision ever.” After all, Kerdsumran was raised in an environment where Botox wasn’t taboo: her parents own an injectables clinic, though they never pressured her into getting any treatments herself. She had witnessed the culture of Botox ever since she was a young girl, and her parents were very open about both the treatments they received, and performed on others. When Kerdsumran made the decision to get Botox herself at just 20 years old, she too wanted to be very open about her process. She documented her visit to the clinic on Instagram, showcasing the process of receiving lip injections as well as forehead and nose filler on her Instagram stories, and through in-feed posts. The comments were filled with people enquiring about her treatments—and debating if it was the right choice for a young woman. But Kerdsumran’s decision isn’t unusual. More young people are receiving

Botox treatments than ever before: In 2016, the American Society of Aesthetic

Plastic Surgery found that between the years 2011 to 2015, there was a 41 percent increase in Botox treatments in the 19 to 34 age group. Many first-time Botox patients don’t have visible wrinkles, and instead seek out these treatments as part of what’s called “preventative aging”—a term now used to replace the shunned phrase “having work done.” Of course, starting such procedures early isn’t consequence free, and critics have raised concerns about the longterm health and side effects of Botox.

In an interview with Vogue, Dr. Patricia Wexler, owner of Wexler Dermatology in Manhattan, noted that injecting too much Botox into the face for many years will weaken the muscles, make the skin thinner and increase aging in alternate areas due to overcompensating facial expressions. She cautions that one might “need even more Botox” in the future to correct these changes.

Despite concerns about potential side effects, some individuals start receiving these treatments as young as 15. In Canada, it is illegal to give Botox to an individual under 18 without their parents’ consent, and so to keep things simple, Angela Dawn, an advanced aesthetic nurse injector at Vancouver Botox, limits her practice to those who are aged 18 and up. However, Dawn says she does get a lot of young teenage girls enquiring about getting lip fillers, lip flips (a Botox procedure that only focuses on the top lip) and anti-aging procedures.

Emily Miller is the owner of Emily Miller Aesthetic Medicine, a board-certified boutique that specializes in non-surgical cosmetic procedures. She’s open to offering Botox treatments to young teenagers with parental consent if it means getting more patients through the doors. These treatments have included filling the glabella (the area between the eyebrows), forehead lines and crow’s feet to prevent or soften the formation of wrinkles.

The procedures aren’t cheap. According to a 2016 report on CBC News, “Why More 20-Somethings Are Getting Botox,” an average patient spends anywhere from $200 to $1,000 on a single treatment depending on how many units of Botox they need. And while commonly used for fine lines, wrinkles and preventative aging, Botox isn’t limited to keeping the face looking young. Amy Yau, a certified nurse injector located in Burnaby, says she “injects people to give them a softer skin complexion, or to slim their face.” The treatment is called Masseter Botox, or jawline Botox, and it consists of injecting the substance in the forehead, cheekbones and jaw to change a person’s facial appearance.

After Kerdsumran shared her Botox experience, others wanted to try it too. Eight friends, ranging in age from 21 to 24, were among the group who decided to give it a shot.

That included Bailey Marshall, another Vancouver-based influencer. She collaborated with a clinic and was paid to receive Botox treatments in return for social media exposure, and a positive review. Marshall had just turned 26 when she received one syringe of Botox in her forehead and along her jawline, intended to help with both anti-aging and her chronic teeth clenching. Since this was a recent procedure, she hasn’t gone back to get any further work done, but she said she is “overall very happy with how it turned out and would absolutely get it again.” One of the things that drew Marshall to this collaboration was the fact that these procedures aren’t completely permanent—treatments typically last about six months.

For Kerdsumran, she’s still “very happy” with her results. She hasn’t returned to get any additional filler, but despite potential side effects and the high price tag she will “absolutely keep up with her treatments for the foreseeable future.” ■