The Botox Trap: What We’re Really Losing in the Race to Look Young
Thoughts on Today, Explained’s podcast episode “How to ‘Fix’ Your Face.”
Botox in a Nordstrom. Yep, you read that right. What used to be whispered about over wine is now available at your local department store. The pressure to "fix" our faces has gone from taboo to totally normalized — and the age group? Younger than ever.
We recently listened to an episode of Today, Explained called “How to ‘Fix’ Your Face” featuring journalist Yasmin Tayag and dermatologist Dr. Michelle Hure — and let’s just say, we’ve got thoughts.
From Secret to Standard
Once upon a time (aka the early 2000s), Botox was hush-hush. People paid in cash, didn’t tell their spouses or friends, and definitely didn’t post about it. But that all changed when reality TV stars started spilling their syringe secrets and social media made self-surveillance a daily routine. Now, not only is it common to see someone post about their "refresh," it's expected.
According to Tayag, between 2019 and 2022, the number of people in their 20s getting Botox rose by 70%. Baby Botox — marketed as a “preventative” — is being pitched to women before their skin even has a chance to do anything. You know, like move. Or express.
The “Preventative” Trap
Here's the sales pitch: Start early, and you’ll never get wrinkles. But here’s what they don’t mention: because Botox works by paralyzing specific facial muscles, when one area is frozen, other muscles compensate. Eventually, other areas start developing lines of their own. So what happens next? You treat those lines. And so the cycle begins.
And let’s be clear — no one needs to get Botox. Not in your 20s. Not in your 40s. Not ever, unless it's something you truly want for you — not because it’s suddenly as common as getting your brows waxed.
Profit Over Prevention
Dr. Michelle Hure shared what many dermatologists won’t say out loud: cosmetic providers are financially incentivized to offer procedures instead of education. You’d think “wear sunscreen” would be basic advice. But instead, some providers are preying on patients, intentionally omitting alternative preventive treatments, and relying on patients’ insecurities to keep bringing them back.
The worst part? Some of her youngest patients have nothing to treat. They’re chasing phantom flaws they discovered through TikTok filters. Dr. Hure is in the minority of providers who will turn patients away. Those patients find another provider who will inject, and the industry is happy to take their money.
Even worse, we’re seeing medical procedures being offered in retail spaces like Nordstrom — now a place where you might walk in for a new lipstick and leave with a needle in your face. This isn’t casual. It’s a medical treatment with real risks: infection, toxin migration, even blindness. But sure, slap a rewards card on it and call it wellness.
Let’s Reframe “Looking Good”
The episode gave us a lot to think about. One line by Yasmin Tayag really stuck:
“If you manage to stay looking 20 for the next 30 years… what do you miss out on?”
Here’s what we think:
You miss out on becoming someone who doesn’t need permission to be seen.
You miss out on the power, the depth, the gravitas that comes with aging naturally.
You miss out on yourself.
At Notox Society, we’re not here to shame anyone for getting Botox. We’re here to say — there’s another option. You can opt out of the anti-aging hamster wheel. You can redefine what “looking good” means. You can age up, not out.
Because beauty doesn’t have to come with a before-and-after.
Sometimes, it just comes with time.
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