Mamamia Interview with Dr Naveen Somia on Baby Botox

What is Baby Botox?

“All of us are very familiar with Botox and what Botox is capable of doing. Now Baby Botox is a concept that is kind of relatively new. It is very similar to the conventional Botox treatments that we are all familiar with. But there are two or three major differences.” explains Dr Naveen Somia, PhD., FRACS, Specialist Plastic Surgeon.

Firstly, it appeals to a different age group. In other words, a younger age group who technically have muscle activity but have no visible wrinkles.

Secondly, it’s done in smaller doses compared to Traditional Botox.

Thirdly, the most important difference is that the terms used for this type of treatment are being softened to things like Baby Botox, Micro Botox, Botox Kisses, and Sprinkling or Botox Light. This softening of Botox terms is evolving with the younger generation and on social media. It’s resulting in a younger demographic, who are very conscious of skincare and health, sun protection practices and serums etc. having the treatments. Botox is now becoming a logical extension of these well researched beauty regimes, and something that is here to stay.

 

How does Baby Botox compare to normal Botox?

The effectiveness of Baby Botox is no different to normal Botox in the strictest sense of the term because when you inject Botox into the muscle, it reduces muscle activity and any wrinkle that is visible due to the muscle activity.

Botox as in Preventative Botox or Baby Botox’s purpose, is to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the future. So when we hear the word prevention, we assume that if you do it once, it is done and dusted. That is not correct. There are a lot of anecdotal opinions, but very little scientific evidence to support this.

The one paper that I have come across is one in 2006 in the Plastic Surgery Journal in America. They looked at a set of identical twins, one of whom, who’s had regular Botox for 30 years, and the other one hadn’t had the same amount of Botox. In the treated areas, they could see a difference. But apart from that one scientific paper, I could not find another one.

 

Is Preventative/Baby Botox effective at wrinkle prevention?

Do I believe that Preventative/Baby Botox is effective at wrinkle prevention? The answer is you need to look at things from the perspective of what are the key reasons you develop wrinkles. Let’s say for example, if you take the frown lines, that is the muscle between your eyebrows. That muscle is active from the day you’re born, but you do not see the wrinkles from the day you’re born. 

The reason is the skin is quite thick, there’s a generous amount of fat underneath the skin and the platform on which the muscle acts is actually quite solid. But as you get older, those three things change, the skin becomes thinner, the fat becomes thinner and the bone changes configuration. The same muscle activity starts to show a wrinkle.

So if you were to ask me, is it better to prevent muscle activity and thereby reduce wrinkles, or to increase the plumpness of the skin to thereby reduce wrinkles? Both have roles. 

So, Botox is used as an effective strategy, but it cannot be the only strategy. You have to combine that with basic sun safe protocols, good skincare, healthy diet, nutrition and looking after your gut health because that will definitely give you more bang for your buck. Yes, you can add Botox on top of it, but you cannot do Botox and not do the other good things.

 

To make sure your surgeon is a registered specialist plastic surgeon, or a specialist who specialises in Botox, you can head to Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) and use the Find A Surgeon portal to identify registered specialists.

“ASAPS also advises that you get multiple opinions on your surgery before going under the knife, to ensure you are fully informed on the pre and post-operative details to make an informed decision.”

This podcast by Kelly McCarren originally appeared on Mamamia.com.au. Excerpts pertaining to what ASAPS Past President Dr Naveen Somia PhD., FRACS, Specialist Plastic Surgeon has said for the interview have been republished here with permission. Hear the full podcast here.

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