A few years ago, Oprah had a 28-year-old woman who'd already had Botox. My friends and I gasped. "Who needs Botox at 28?" we wondered. Fast-forward three years, and our incredulity seems almost quaint; I know women who began getting Botox in their early 20s. (For the record, yours truly has not tried the 'tox.)
Next up: teenagers. One eighteen-year-old woman shares how multiple skin care clinics advised her to start getting Botox. (She was horrified.) The idea, as many dermatologists will say, is to prevent wrinkles from forming in the first place.
Eighteen-year-olds are adults, so of course they can partake in cosmetic treatments if they like. But seriously, what teenager should even be thinking about Botox? Do you think these clinics should suggest injectables to teenagers, or does the idea depress you?
Marc Jacobs
Milano
Steve Madden
That's totally insane!! I'm 24 and would never even think about Botox ANYTIME soon, if ever!
1got excited and clicked 'post' too soon...I'd like to see a similar 'study' or whatever, conducted in the US!
2f-ing ridiculous
3I agree, very ridiculous.
4Botox is used for things other than preventing wrinkles. If they need it for one of those reasons, underarm odor or migraines, then sure!
I plan to start using it, sparingly, in two years when I turn 35. It's preventative, and I want to look as good as I can for as long as I can. I won't go under the knife, but I'll go under the needle!
5While I agree with doogirl there are other off label uses for Botox i.e. it reduces sweating that type of off label procedure is typically performed in a doctors office and not a skin clinic so I'm thinking that this article in particular is speaking of the traditional use of botox as an anti wrinkle medication. So no teenage girls shouldn't be using this fairly new medication on there faces at such a young age when the true long term effects aren't known...it's not safe!
6No I'm sorry but at 18 you are just into "doing" things for all the wrong reasons. I've had Restalyn twice for my lips but I was 23/24 when I first did it. (and I thought long and hard)
7My stance is...they shouldn't offer it, but they should make it available anyway. I mean, an 18 year old IS an adult...but to TELL an 18 year old that they NEED botox is out of line.
8I clicked 'Yes' because they should OFFER Botox to anyone 18 and older who can pay for it, and as long as it's healthy. They shouldn't SUGGEST it to anyone who isn't there asking for a wrinkle reducer.
9Kids have no self-control! They'll see the results of Botox (depending on where it's injected, the results could be slimming of the face, smoother cheeks, a forehead that appears higher) and they'll be hooked on it! No no no to Botox!
10I just don't understand why anyone that young would want to get Botox.
11Totally freakin' ridiculous.
12I received botox in my early 20s to help with my migranes. Most girls that age do not need botox for 'wrinkle' purposes, but I believe it is okay for them to have injections to help with migranes or sweat purposes.
13If it's for wrinkles, and not for any of the other reasons, then it's frankly ridiculous. I'm getting closer to my later 20s and it's not even something I'm remotely close to considering any time soon if ever. And like someone else mentioned, we don't even know the long term effects of that.
14Um...no. I don't even see why they'd need it.
15I would not offer it to a teenager. But yes, at 18 you're technically an adult so that's a bit different.
16At that age, they should be thinking about sun protection and good skincare, not medical enhancement.
17This is ridiculous. Apparently it is no longer socially acceptable for girls/women to age as they get older!!!!!!!!!
18Teenagers don't need botox to prevent wrinkles on their face..it's called sunscreen. use it.
19No way dude...
20WTF?! Botox, at 18? No, no and no!
21(I mean for wrinkles.)
22Yeah, this story is all about using Botox for wrinkles only. Which I think is CRAZY if you're 18.
23NO!
24I can understand using it fo migraines and sweat purposes..but wrinkles? definitely not!
25That's so irresponsible!! Can't plastic surgeons be sued for "suggesting" treatments to patients? That's why they're so careful always to say "I'll do only what YOU want." It should be the same for skin clinics. The nerve! They were just trying to drum up permanent business, if they can scare this girl into doing it they have themselves a client multiple times a year for the rest of her life.
26why on earth would teenagers need botox??
27Maybe I should be more shocked and out-raged at this, but as someone whose mother (whom is a doctor btw, though not a derm or cosmetic one) has been telling me since I was 22 (I'm just 24 now!) that I should just start using [Botox] now (she started at 25 with collagen and then a few years later botox), I'm hardly surprised that some skin clinics are now offering (or recommending) Botox to 18-year-olds. My 19-year-old sister is so obsessed with not getting wrinkles, I'm actually surprised she has never brought up trying Botox... yet. Thank god! At 18 Botox is unnecessary, if it's solely for wrinkles. If you're worried about them at that age (and most ages) why not just use great and diligent sun protection and some kind of retinoid?
28we all seem to be 100% on this. i'm 21, and some think it's a little extreme for me to be using anti-aging eye cream. botox never even crossed my mind! this is insane. while she's technically an adult and i guess no one can legally refuse her, it's just absurd!
29I say no unless it's for medicinal purposes (Botox is used to help treat epilepsy, speech disorders, etc). Even for medicinal purposes, Botox is dangerous. It is botulism poison. Recently, two epileptic children died from a misplacement of the Botox injection.
30if you're still 18, i think your body's still going to change so there is NO WAY that you should chemically do something to it!! plus you can still get away with totally ridiculous make up n just laugh about it later so why not do that instead?? =)
31I'm with loudserenity. I'm 25 and reluctant to try anti-age products but, botox? That's crazy.
32I think if an 18 year old wants to get botox that is their own business, but a doctor is wayyyy out of line to tell such a young person that they NEED botox. It sounds like they are just trying to scam some money off of image conscious young people. I think that when a girl becomes a teenager she should learn about skincare and start good habits young because then she won't need botox.
33Oh, and when I was 15 all my friends laughed at me for applying sunscreen religiously and under eye cream before I went to bed. I am 24 now...we will see who will be laughing at the 10 year reunion.
34I say no, but I could see the use in extreme cases. I know Botox can be used to stop underarm sweat, and I could see if a teenager has a horrible case of it and Botox is a last resort, but I think there should be a doctor's note.
35only for sweat problems... haha. I hear you can get botox for that. Wish I could have got that in high school.
36if available to me at 18 i probably would have done it. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... but i'm just a freak about the way my skin looks.
37Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.