There is a fine line when it comes to ‘baby botox’.
Injections, fillers and vaping are among the insidious culprits that make Gen Z they seem older than millennialsexperts warn, as cosmetic procedures soar among the younger generation.
While it may seem like Gen Zers are taking good care of themselves, professionals aren’t so sure—in fact, starting injections at a very young age can interfere with the natural development of facial features.
“It’s not uncommon to see 18-year-olds with lip fillers,” said Dr. Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics. the Daily Mail this week.
He added that “the 20-year-olds are [getting] Botox and fillers, semi-permanent makeup in the form of eyebrows and lips.” These procedures “combined can make you look older,” Perry said, and “actually, once you start down that path, it’s very hard to go back to being completely natural, especially when the ‘affirmations’ start in the middle of social network”.
The TikTok tag #BabyBotoxwhich has amassed 189 million views, features a series of clips of young women getting just a touch of the toxin on their faces to prevent deep wrinkles.
Gen Z has grown up with screens and social media, meaning “knowledge and education about cosmetic procedures, trends and proper skin care are at their fingertips,” said Dr. Sindhu Siddiqi, of London’s No Filter Clinic, in the Daily Mail. .
“While this may not always be beneficial, it does mean that they have grown up with more awareness and knowledge of aesthetic offerings as many professionals and brands use these platforms to promote their offerings,” he added.
For example, there are “very few people” under 30 who could benefit from wrinkle-relaxing injections, which another London dermatologist, Dr. Sophie Shotter.
“Having these treatments before they’re really needed can sometimes make someone look older, almost like a mask,” said Shotter, who also blamed interest in the procedure on the trendy full-glam makeup look they’re promoting social media influencers.
Overstuffed cheeks and lips “distort the face,” argued esthetician Amish Patel, making the person appear much older than they are.
For their part, millennials are seen as the most health-conscious generation—experts say they’re less likely to smoke and exercise more than other generations—and have shown a particular interest in skin care.
Gen Z, on the other hand, seems to favor smoking and vaping.
“Cigarettes are terrible but cool,” New York blogger Meg Superstar Princess, who is in her 20s, told The Post. “I know cigarettes are terrible for you. But everybody looks cool with a cigarette… You have to pick your vices in life.”
Such “lifestyle factors” affect skin health and “how we look”, said Dr Glyn Estebanez of Prima Aesthetics in the UK.
While Gen Zers — and even Gen Alphas like North West, 10, and Penelope Disick, 11 — have leaned into skin care, using the wrong products could do more harm than good.
“A 14-year-old, for example, doesn’t need a complicated skin treatment, certainly nothing that’s anti-aging [that] age,” Dr. Saniyya Mahmood, medical director of Aesthetica Medical, told the Daily Mail.
Instead, teens should stick to the holy trinity of skin care: cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen.
Retinol, Perry warned, shouldn’t be used in your 20s because of how “harsh” it is on “young skin” — with the potential to cause irritation and damage.
“It’s a good idea to start a skin care regimen [as] teenager, but the products used should be targeted not only for your skin type but also age-appropriate,” she added.
