Controversy: Should You Get Botox Starting at 25?
Photo courtesy April 2008 Allure magazine, source William J. Bender
According to the April 2008 issue of Allure magazine (the source for this article), you just may want to consider it. Above shows two identical twins, both 38 years old. The twin on the left had only two Botox treatments in the past 13 years. The twin on the right had regular Botox injections in her forehead for 13 years - since age 25. As a result, the twin on the right has almost no deep wrinkles, while her sister has “deeper and permanently etched wrinkles in the forehead,” according to William J. Binder, assistant clinical professor at UCLA Medical Center.
This issue is not new. Marcia Cross, one of the beautiful stars of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, has admitted to using Botox since the ’90s. According to Allure, some leading dermatologists often start their patients on Botox at age 25 as well. On the one hand, when you look at the results above — and stars like Marcia Cross — it’s easy to see why. On the other hand, how early is too early?
Since there is no ‘real’ right or wrong answer, I thought it would be fun to get your comments on this one. I set up the poll below, and please feel free to write comments as well. I look forward to your responses! 
What Do You Think?
[...] Since there is no ‘real’ right or wrong answer, I thought it would be fun to get your comments on this one. I set up a poll on FutureDerm.com. Please click here to contribute! [...]
Pingback by Controversy: Should You Get Botox Starting at 25? « FutureDerm.WordPress.com | March 28, 2008
one set of twins is not much of a case study.
Comment by lisa | March 28, 2008
That’s true, great point.
Maybe there will be more case studies with identical twins in the future, with so many people getting Botox nowadays?
Comment by futurederm | March 28, 2008
Due to heavy weight loss in my teens I now have loads of smile wrinkels at the point of my eyes…Next thuesday I have my first Botox appointment…I’m only 21 years old…
Comment by Ruben | March 29, 2008
I got my first round of Botox on my 27th birthday. It was amazing!!! In two weeks I went from crinkles when I smile to smooth when I smile. Its all about prevention, and I will definitely be making Botox a regular treatment to prevent deep wrinkles.
Comment by Christie K | March 30, 2008
[...] Three weeks ago, I asked readers what age they think is appropriate for a woman to start getting Botox. The results are in: [...]
Pingback by What Age Should Women Get Botox? FutureDerm Readers Weigh In… - FutureDerm.com | April 18, 2008
[...] Three weeks ago, I asked readers what age they think is appropriate for a woman to start getting Botox. The results are in: [...]
Pingback by What Age Should Women Get Botox? FutureDerm Readers Weigh In… « FutureDerm.WordPress.com | April 18, 2008
I am 27 and considering Botox. I don’t have deep wrinkles but they are starting and I’d like to do what I can now to look great when I’m 40. I also have some sun spots / brown blotchiness around my forehead that I’m going to get peels to remove. I’m a little nervous that I might get addicted but we will see!
Comment by Christina | April 23, 2008
Before I reflected on it, I immediately thought that 25 was too young. Someone that young should be enjoying their youth, not thinking about preventing wrinkles by undergoing such a procedure. Wearing sunscreen should be enough at that age.
But then I thought more about it. First I got angry. Angry that we live in a society where so much importance is placed on looking young. Being wrinkle-free. We have been brainwashed into thinking that growing old is bad. A natural process-aging-must be avoided at all costs. Undergoing life-threatening operations (thinking about lifts, tucks, boob-jobs) is thought of as ok because the end result will be a better-younger-looking person.
Comment by Danielle | June 17, 2008
I ran out of room. I’ll get off my soap box. It’s a shame that society is the way it is. Whose fault is it? The media? It’s ours. Somewhere along the line we accepted the pressures put on us, and that is why things are the way they are.
So to answer the question, no, it’s not too young. If a woman is set on being wrinkle-free for as long as possible, botox seems to be the way to go. And from what I hear, it is much easier to prevent wrinkles from Botox, than to correct them once they are there.
As for me, I’ll stick with “magic” lotions, and then I’ll wear a bag.
Comment by Danielle | June 17, 2008
Unfortunately we live in a shallow society….but then again when you look good, the attention you get makes you feel great so its all beneficial. I am 28 and I have my first botox treatment at lunchtime today, not that I really need it but I am doing all I can to preserve what I have. Everyone gives out about celebrities putting pressure on us all to look good but surely they are just inspiration to know that it can be done.
Comment by Caroline | July 16, 2008
Im a PA in the Aesthetic Dermatology field. There is a big controversy on this subject, and honestly I really dont think its that big of a deal to start getting Botox early. It makes sense. If youre gonna do it when your 50, why not do it now, so you can allow those muscles to undergo disuse atrophy and do it as a preventive? If you start later, your allowing those lines to get deeper and set in and then it only takes years longer to get rid of them. Your not freezing muscles, your simply weakening them, and people you hear about that are ‘frozen’ are those that have had too much Botox. Botox is an art; there is a technique to it. If the right technique is used, you should have a natural look with softening of the area, not removal of natural expression. We get haircuts, our eyebrows waxed, manicures/pedicures and now…Botox…really whats the big deal?
Comment by Tas | August 29, 2008