‘Barbie Botox’: Doctors recommend caution with aesthetics – 09/01/2023 – Health

The “Barbie Botox” trend, which has women as young as 20 years old rushing into toxin-based procedures to mimic the appearance of the film’s lead actress, Margot Robbie, could lead to backlash among users and make it difficult to medical use in the future, doctors warned.

The procedure, also known as “Trap Tox”, has been used extensively by doctors to inject a class of drugs known as botulinum toxins, such as Botox, into the trapezius muscles of the upper back to treat migraine headaches and shoulder pain.

But since the movie “Barbie” was released in July, there has been an increase in demand for use as a cosmetic procedure. The hashtag BarbieBotox had 11.2 million views on TikTok.

The procedure “allegedly slims down the neck and somehow this was attributed to the actress who plays Barbie,” Revance Therapeutics chief executive Dustin Sjuts told Reuters in an interview.

“They’re not treating wrinkles or sagging skin. They want the neck to have less girth, a neck that’s thinner and more contoured,” said Scot Glasberg, president-elect of the Plastic Surgery Foundation, which serves New York.

The approval of these injections for cosmetic purposes is limited only to procedures involving the face, which makes the use of trapezius injection “off-label”.

Meanwhile, Revance and Evolus, which produce similar toxins under the Daxxify and Jeuveau brands, respectively, told Reuters that while “Barbie Botox” has been on the rise in recent months, they don’t see the trend significantly increasing sales.

The maker of Botox, AbbVie, declined to comment.

Scratchs

Historically, people over age 40 would opt for toxin-based injections. However, doctors said they were concerned about increased use among younger women — and six doctors warned that procedures performed by underskilled personnel increase the risk of complications.

Increased use among younger women, with typically stronger immune systems, also increases the risk that the products will become less effective over time, said Shilpi Kheterpal, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

“If they are using large amounts of Botox too often… they (the toxins) can wear off over time, not just with Botox but also with the other products on the market because they all have some similar molecule ’ declared Kheterpal.

Physicians also emphasized the risk of administration by people who may not be adequately qualified, especially in settings where there is little supervision.

Toxins are generally safe, but a potential risk, if not injected correctly, can be impacting neighboring muscles, which can weaken them for months.

“The science is not yet fully ready to support clinical profiling,” said Evolus Chief Executive David Moatazedi.

“However, we know that neurotoxins have been used at significantly higher doses for therapeutic purposes than the level of use for aesthetic purposes and we know that the products are safe.”