These days celebrities see no shame in boasting about their cosmetic procedures – surgery fan Katie Price has even admitted: “Botox is like going shopping to me”.
Indeed Botox is the most popular nonsurgical treatment in the UK. The industry is worth an estimated £18m a year in Britain and it accounts for 38% of all cosmetic procedures worldwide.
It’s injected into the skin primarily to smooth out wrinkles by temporarily paralysing facial muscles and is widely used by celebrities.
But worryingly a growing number of teenagers are now having regular injections of Botox in a bid to prevent wrinkles forming. Known as ‘teen-toxing’ it’s believed to have fuelled a 15% rise in demand for the procedure.
According to clinical psychologist Dr Abigael San, many teens see Botox as a way of keeping up with their idols.
She tells Closer: “Teenagers hear celebrities talking about Botox all the time and there’s huge pressure for them to look physically perfect. Teenagers are very impressionable and if their self-esteem is low they can see it as a quick fix. But this can set up an addictive pattern. It’s up to doctors to put their foot down.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by GP Chris Lyons, cosmetic doctor at the Heathrow Clinic and research fellow at Imperial College, who told Closer: "If any girl of 16 came to me I would think she had psychological issues to imagine that she needed Botox - it would be wrong to treat someone like that. Sixteen year old girls simply don't need Botox for aesthetic reasons."
As yet there is no age restriction – but Botox can only be administered by any licensed practitioner, such as a doctor or a dentist or a specialised nurse. However, most doctors and surgeons consider it unethical to inject anyone under 18 unless it’s for medical purposes.
There are possible side effects from bruising to an allergic reaction, redness and even double or blurred vision if it’s injected around the eyes.
Despite this, Closer found it was worryingly easy for a fresh-faced teen to find professionals willing to administer Botox.
We went undercover with 16-year-old Layla Chisholm, from Essex, and shockingly it took just a handful of phone calls to find a doctor willing to give the college student Botox. Out of the three London salons we went on to visit, after consultation two agreed to agreed to administer the procedure.
The first doctor who agreed to do it was Dr Kerry Ioannides, who works at Body Beauty salon in Palmers Green, north London. He didn’t ask to see any proof of her age and accepted she would be 17 in February. Despite admitting Layla was young to have the procedure and saying he was “cautious” because “it can be an addictive pattern,” he did agree to administer Botox and lip fillers. The total cost would have been over £500.
In the second clinic, The Blythe Road Dental Practice in Brook Green, west London, Layla was given a five-minute consultation. Dentist George Stramotas then suggested injecting Botox into her forehead and between her eyebrows, at a cost of £280. He knew she was 16 at the time.
He said it wouldn’t hurt but there might be some bruising, before adding: “it’s ok doing it on someone her age….it’s not permanent. If you don’t want to frown for the rest of your life, you’ll need to do it every four months. The advantage of doing it is if you don’t frown you’re not going to have lines.”
When approached by Closer prior to publication, Dr Kerry Ioannides declined to comment.
However, George Stramotas said: "We don’t investigate people, we’re just out to provide a service. We did say we need to send out a consent form before carrying out any treatment. In this day and age, most people [who want Botox] are not 18 and under because it’s very expensive and they don’t go for it. You don’t give Botox to someone who’s got wrinkles, you can give Botox to smooth the forehead. This is one [person] that came to us and I said I’d have a look and see. I mentioned Botox is not permanent, it’s reversible."
But when Closer took our investigation to a top cosmetic surgeon recommended by the British Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) Dr Marc Pacifico, he was horrified.
He told us: “In my opinion it’s unscrupulous to agree to do it [perform Botox] on a girl of that age. I have never seen a 16 year old who warrants treatment with Botox for cosmetic reasons. Although it isn’t illegal as such, I’m shocked that doctors would use it. Theoretically early Botox might have an unwanted long term effect, in that if muscles aren’t used they can waste away.”
Layla adds: “I simply can’t believe how easy it was. I haven’t got any wrinkles but they were still happy to treat me. It’s really shocking – I don’t need it. I think any teenager who wanted Botox would already feel bad about themselves, and I reckon a doctor agreeing to do it would make their confidence even worse.”
And as Layla’s mother, Zoe Chisholm, 41, adds: “They shouldn’t be doing this. She’s far too young, she’s only a kid, she hasn’t got any lines on her face, it’s really shocking.”
Additional reporting by Layla Chisholm.