“Take off my morning shed with me!” 

“Come with me to get my lower blepharoplasty!” 

“Let me show you the best place to get botox in NYC!” 

Scrolling on Tiktok, you’re bound to see at least a few videos like these from time to time. It starts to feel strange, though. 19-year-olds talking about anti-aging skincare when they still look like minors. 30-year-olds giving advice to their younger selves about how they should have started reapplying sunscreen multiple times a day; helpful on paper, but the undercurrent of the video whispers maybe then you wouldn’t look like this, all wrinkled and damaged. Society seems to have pushed the anti-aging narrative so hard that even those who don’t show any visible signs of aging are getting “preventative” botox. 

I understand the impulse behind aesthetic enhancements perfectly well. Everyone has insecurities, bits and imperfections they would love to have permanently fixed. And in a world where people, especially women, are constantly told that “beauty is pain,” it isn’t that surprising that so many have jumped in feetfirst without knowing the potential consequences. Botox is a toxin that paralyzes the muscles in your face. Repetitive use of botox has not been scientifically studied enough to know what the long-term effects are. Yet, because plastic surgeons can’t see any short-term issues, it’s been touted as perfectly safe. Although I don’t think people who choose to have aesthetic surgeries, or manage their aging process through skincare, should be shamed in any way, it is necessary to take a step back and think critically about what the long-term effects will be. In 20 years, will filler reversals become common practice? With more research being done on filler migration (wherein the filler material used to make skin look plumper in certain areas begins to spread outward), we now know that filler doesn’t just stay in place, and in fact can spread to the entire face. What does this do to our lymphatic system? It’s obviously conjecture, but injecting fluid into the system designed to keep fluid levels balanced seems like it will have side effects, and given that the other job of the lymphatic system is to defend against infections, I’m afraid for what they’ll be. Are botox and filler becoming the lead makeup of our time? Will the Kardashians become the 21st century equivalent to Queen Elizabeth I, applying more and more cosmetics to hide the damage wrought by them? It’s already been speculated that Kylie Jenner had to be treated for filler migration, and if a billionaire with some of the best aesthetic treatments in the world has already started suffering the consequences, it can’t be that long before the anti-aging epidemic claims more victims. 

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