In recent years, Instagram and TikTok have become a showcase Many influencers boast perfect lives and perfect skin. Impossible filters, finishes, and skins appear natural, and that’s what makes More and more girls feel like they need to correct something that is actually okay.
Aesthetics can be an ally, but when perception is distorted, the problem goes beyond just a wrinkle or a gesture. In one Interview with EvolosThe doctor Marta Garayspecialist in aesthetic medicine for the face and body in the Pedro Jaén Group He explained why more and more young people are turning to neuromodulators and the risks involved.
One of the pieces of news that has surprised us the most – and alarmed us – in recent years is the use of neuromodulators in young people, even in their 20s. What’s behind this trend?
The main reason is the increasing pressure on physical self-image. Nowadays, we constantly photograph ourselves: we see ourselves in publications, on cameras, on networks… This constant exposure feeds the obsession with the image, which is considered unhealthy, especially among younger women. Moreover, many cosmetics brands contribute to creating an unrealistic image through campaigns that show 18-year-old girls with perfect skin that does not exist in reality.
Filters and retouching are used to generate impossible predictions. Our responsibility as doctors is to insist that most of what we see is not real. Unfortunately, the core of our identity is lost among some professionals. We are doctors, not businesses. We protect, we do not sell. Our motto is clear: If you can’t improve what exists, it’s best not to touch it. If intervention is not needed, do nothing.
Shouldn’t there be regulation of both filters and age of use?
One hundred percent. If there’s a woman suffering from premature aging, in the campaign show me a model with the same problem, not a 24-year-old. If a cream promises to help remove blemishes, I want to see results on blemish-ridden skin, not a perfect supermodel. In aesthetic medicine there should be greater control: currently different products can be applied without sufficient regulation, and this cannot be the case.
Have you had to refuse treatment to young patients? By what arguments?
Several times. Although the only negative review I’ve had came from a girl who had received a neuromodulator at another center just a couple of months ago, and she came because she wanted to repeat. I told him that was not necessary, and he asked me for a complaint form stating that “the doctor did not want to treat her.”
If a 22-year-old girl has very noticeable wrinkles, there may be a reason to act; But if I wanted therapy to fulfill an emotional need, I would never do that.
What do these little patients look like?
They often come with friends who have already done everything, and use them as a reference: “Look at everything my friend did, and I didn’t do anything.” They patients, unlike older women, listen little, even when faced with a specialist who has studied for years. They talk about what they see on social networks.
From a medical point of view, what is the recommended minimum age?
On an unimpressed face, I would say about 30 years. There are women in their 30s who don’t need it and others who are younger, for example, short-sighted or oppositional, who do. Myopia can cause noticeable wrinkles in the glabellar area.
Does preventive use make sense for these young women or is it just a fad?
It makes sense if done correctly. Depending on whether the wrinkle is static or dynamic, the muscle can contract on the skin until it breaks over time. The goal is not to block the muscle (this only happens in the case of an overdose), but to reduce its force to avoid excessive traction. This prevents the appearance of fibrous scars, and the face remains more relaxed without losing its expression.
So, what is the ideal age to start prevention?
We could say 30, though it depends. Take cholesterol, for example: There are those who treat it at 45 or 50, but everything depends on the clinical analysis. Can you imagine going to the pharmacy with a friend and asking what your friend is taking for cholesterol? It cannot be copied, because every face and every living being is different.
Are there physical or psychological risks to using it so quickly?
The biggest danger is losing your sense of reality. This is why I always photograph my patients at the first consultation. After a month, many think the effect has disappeared, but when they compare the pictures they see the real difference. It’s a matter of perception. We also need to start reporting those clinics that use filters on ‘before and after’ photos, because they are completely misleading.
Can prolonged use of neuromodulators alter expression or generate dependence?
If the correct doses are applied, no. Because the muscle is not blocked, its strength is only reduced. For example, when wavers relax, they make this unwanted gesture disappear. It is pure anatomy: it is about balancing muscular forces, not changing natural expression.
What advice would you give to someone in their 20s thinking about starting with neuromodulation devices?
First, leave the consultation understanding exactly what it is about. Listen to your doctor, inform yourself, and know the negative effects and real goals before making a decision.
I recommend skin care without resorting to neuromodulators at these ages pSkin care procedures, exfoliation, good nutrition and rest.