Am I Too Young For Botox?

Q: I am 27 years old and want to get Botox injections. I don’t want to get those lines in my forehead that my mother has and I think that this will be preventative. Am I too young for Botox?

A: In recently published statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 30% of the 5 million people that underwent some form of cosmetic surgery in the last year were under 30 years of age. There is no question that, while more aged patients are getting corrective treatments, younger patients are interested in aging prevention. This is both a reflection of the widespread availability of Botox in the past ten years and the shifting attitudes towards anti-aging of a younger generation. This is often also influenced by a relative, usually from a mom getting Botox and their daughters seeing this and thinking that they might be able to prevent wrinkles before they ever form. With the relatively low cost of Botox, such prevention is as affordable as many high-end topical creams and serums.

Is Botox wrinkle preventative? The answer is both yes and no. Botox will not alter the aging process but, at the first sign of seeing an undesired expression such as excessive frowning between the eyebrows, it can soften the appearance of the future location of wrinkle lines the earlier one starts to get the injections. The age of 27 would not be too young for Botox if…one has very strong forehead or crow’s feet expressions.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana