Relatively inexpensive cosmetic injectables may cause further psychological damage to people who already suffer from body image problems, experts say.
- The demand for cosmetic treatments has increased rapidly in recent years.
- In many countries, a record number of young people are opting for Botox treatments for cosmetic reasons.
- Doctors are calling for mandatory mental health screenings to prevent vulnerable people from worsening any pre-existing psychological conditions.
The Botox business is booming: The demand for these inexpensive cosmetic injections has increased dramatically in recent years. The market is projected to grow further between 2022 and 2030.
Not long ago, a American Society of Plastic Surgeons study found that Botox injections became the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in 2020, a phenomenon the authors referred to as “post-pandemic.” [Botox] boom”.
The cosmetic treatment is made of a neurotoxin called botulinum toxin type A. In tiny, refined doses, the toxin can be injected into desirable areas of the body to block the action of some nerves and combat fine lines and angry folds, for example.
READ MORE | We accept aging, but is there a ‘right age’ to get your first Botox injection?
The lineless face solution has become so popular that it has become a part of social events; think Christine Quinn’s “burger and botox” parties of Selling Sunset. But not only celebrities and the elite are willing to pay to look their best.
Nicci Levy, owner of Alchemy 43, a beauty bar specializing in cosmetic micro-treatments in Beverly Hills, saw the rise of these inexpensive cosmetic treatments and jumped on the idea. He told Entrepreneur magazine in 2019.: “People spent thousands of dollars on these injections, but the experience was like going to the doctor to get a flu shot.”
Now, experts are asking people seeking cosmetic injections, like Botox, to undergo a mandatory mental health screening. according to the guardian. They reason that they want to prevent vulnerable people from worsening any pre-existing psychological conditions, such as body image issues.
Considering the growing demand for these injections, they specifically want doctors to be trained to perform such psychological evaluations.
Dr. Toni Pikoos, a clinical psychologist who specializes in body image and cosmetic procedures, told the publication that the relatively low cost of injectables “may make them an even more dangerous space than surgery.”
Depending on which part of the body you want to target, the price can range from R1,500 to R7,000, Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr. Deon Weyers told True Love magazine in August.
Pikoos said the treatments are considered “quick and easy, low risk” but that research indicates that body dysmorphia (BDD) and other mental health problems are more prevalent in people seeking non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
READ MORE | Jennifer Garner warns teenage daughters to be cautious when it comes to cosmetic procedures
She also told ABC News: “There is a smaller group of people who may have significant mental health problems or body dysmorphic disorder, where they don’t really benefit from cosmetic treatment.
“It can fuel a cycle that tends to make them worse and more obsessed with their appearance.”
Pikoos thinks the move to train doctors to conduct mental health checks was a good idea.
Pre-treatment counseling instead of psychological evaluation
For someone seeking cosmetic treatment, which has the potential to alter their body image, pre-treatment counseling is crucial, says registered counselor and psychotherapist Nsamu Moonga.
Moonga tells News24: “The difficulty with using a term like ‘psychological assessment’ is that it has particular meanings… [but] pre-treatment counseling, on the other hand, is slow [and effective] enough to allow both the physician, the treatment administrator, and the recipient of the treatment to be clear about what they want and why they want that particular treatment.”
Pre-treatment counseling would include things like providing the patient with enough information about what the treatment entails, what risks are involved, if any, and whether there are any potential side effects so that the person is in a position to make a fully informed decision. .
Once all that information is available and the patient takes into account all the risk factors, there is enough room for the patient to decide whether to continue treatment, says Moonga.
“And when they have looked at the material [and agree to continue with the treatment]they alone will be responsible for the possible consequences of their choice.”
READ MORE | Sharon Stone was rejected by her younger ex-boyfriend after refusing to get Botox
While you cannot become physically addicted to Botox, it is possible to become psychologically addicted. A 2017 study on the use of Botox in the US noted that some women suffered a “crack-like” addiction to the process when trying to supplement previous treatments.
An earlier study, based on a survey of clients at 81 clinics, found that more than 40% of patients who regularly used Botox “expressed a compulsive motive” for doing so. according to the Independent. Also, study participants who received five or more injections showed more “addictive traits” than those who did not.
Dr Carter Singh, who worked on the study, said: “Botox has a good safety profile, but it also has potentially addictive qualities.
Celebrities who abandoned botox
Some celebrities have been refreshingly candid about their regrets about having multiple cosmetic procedures in the past. Friends star Courtney Cox publicly commented that she regretted her decision to undergo plastic surgery and Botox injections to try to prolong her youthful appearance. YOU magazine reported.
“You go out and you don’t look so bad, and you think that no one has noticed, it’s good. Then someone tells you about another doctor… Next thing you know, you have layers and layers and layers,” she said.
And after suffering a massive stroke, actress Sharon Stone said she had a different perspective on cosmetic procedures. according to News24.
“There were periods in super fame when I got Botox and fillers and stuff, and then I had this massive stroke and nine-day brain bleed and had to get over 300 Botox injections and fillers to do one side of my face. came out again,” he said.
