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The next time I see a nineteen-year-old influencer livestreaming her Botox injections, I might lose my mind. 

This post is going to talk you through the best age to get Botox (or Dysport, or Xeomin, or whatever is more your speed). We’ll talk about when Botox is actually considered preventative vs. when it’s just a waste of money, and how to decide when the time is right for you. 

If you’re interested in Botox as a cosmetic treatment, or you’re looking to hold off wrinkles for as long as possible, starting at the right age means you’re getting a lighter treatment for longer. Some people might tell you that it’s cheaper that way, but I think it usually isn’t. We’ll look at that too. 

If you’re considering starting Botox — let’s figure out if it’s really the best time! 

(If you’re still learning about Botox, I have a bunch of posts about it: What to Avoid Before Botox, When Does Botox Peak?, Can You Get A Facial After Botox? and a bunch more.)

Is Botox common? 

I want to start with this because I think it’s an important reality check. 

Most people don’t get Botox at all. It can feel like absolutely everybody gets Botox, because nearly everyone who’s on social media for a living does. 

If you’re 25, it might feel like everyone your age is getting Botox. But…that’s not true. It might be true in your social circle. It is probably true of the influencers you follow. But, realistically, most people your age are not getting Botox. Most people in their 40s are not getting Botox. 

Me, personally, I get Botox. So this isn’t me being preachy at all! To me, Botox is worth it and I feel better about myself when my tox is fresh. But Botox is not mandatory, and it’s a big expense. At age 38, I probably spend $2500-$3000 a year on Botox treatments. And I’m okay with that right now, but if I had to cut back my spending tomorrow, it would be the first thing to go. 

This isn’t to try to change your mind…just a reminder that this isn’t actually something everyone does. And preventative treatment even more so…most people are not doing that! 

Best age to start getting Botox

Most injectors will tell you that the majority of their new patients come in in their late 20s and early 30s. 

This is the age that we start to see the fine lines that are still there when our forehead is relaxed. This is also when crow’s feet, the little lines around the corners of our eyes, start to pop up too. You shouldn’t worry about dynamic wrinkles, which are the creases in your skin that form from muscle contractions in your face. Like, if you have horizontal lines in your forehead because you’re raising your eyebrows. If they go away when you relax your face, they’re dynamic.

Botox is generally to address the static lines in your face, that are still there when your facial muscles aren’t making any facial expressions. 

The idea behind preventative Botox treatments is to prevent those static lines from ever forming. So you start before you have static forehead lines, and it’s a preventative measure that means that they never show up. 

And the fact is, this does work. However: you have to weigh the idea that you might be starting years before you need to, and paying thousands of extra dollars for treatments that weren’t necessary. If money is absolutely irrelevant to you, or your dermatologist sister will do it for you inexpensively, by all means go ahead. But for most of us in the world, that’s a lot of money to waste. 

Later in this post, I’m going to talk through the signs that you’re probably ready to get Botox for the first time. 

What happens if I skip preventative Botox? 

I’ll answer this both ways! 

I took terrible care of my skin in my early twenties. I was a 2000s tanning queen and a lifeguard, I smoked cigarettes through my early 20s, I used the most harsh and horrible skincare to dry out my acne. (Helloooo, Proactiv.) So I had the appearance of those fine lines around age 24.

If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self to get a sunscreen, a prescription for retinol, and a hydrating skincare routine (and a water bottle!). I didn’t need Botox! But I did start getting Botox at age 25. At the time, it probably cost me $1000 a year, but it was the recession and I shouldn’t have been paying that! 

I kept on with that until I got pregnant with my oldest at 28. For the next six years I was pregnant or breastfeeding pretty much nonstop, and money was tighter because I wasn’t working. So, from my late 20s to my mid 30s, I didn’t continue my Botox treatments. I would encourage young people to think of this: is preventative treatment worth it if you’re going to have a long pause like I did? 

Anyway: I restarted the Botox when I returned to work and our finances were a little easier. I was about 34? And I had changed up my skincare game: I was taking great care of my skin, had been doing light chemical peels at home, wearing sunscreen religiously. I had still aged! But the aging process hadn’t been horrible. 

I got the Botox with low expectations. Since I hadn’t kept up with preventative treatments, I thought it wouldn’t work as well. But….once I waited my week, I was shocked to see that the appearance of fine lines had completely disappeared. There was no wrinkling, no frown lines, no forehead wrinkles. It took more units of botulinum toxin, the actual Botox substance, than when I was younger. But it worked perfectly fine, even though I hadn’t kept up with the preventative treatments. 

This is honestly why I think preventative treatments are kind of a scam. Starting in my mid-30s gave me the unlined, youthful appearance I was looking for even though I didn’t do the “preventative measure” treatments. 

Go by your face, not your driver’s license

We’re all about being financially responsible here! And that means putting your money towards your goals, and getting only the cosmetic procedure options that are serving you. 

So, to me, it’s not about age, exactly, though I do truly think that younger patients, like early and mid 20s, should focus on skincare and a hydrating routine (AND SUNSCREEN) to maintain their youthful look. Save your money for the other big expenses of your 20s. 

But there are signs that you’re ready, or that it’s time to start Botox if you choose. 

Signs that it’s time for Botox:

• Formation of lines on your forehead or between your brows that do not go away when you relax your face.
• You have a balanced, hydrating skincare routine that uses both water-based (like hyaluronic acid) and oil-based (like moisturizer) products, and the lines are still there.
• You are using an AHA exfoliating serum 1-2 times per week, and the lines are still there.
• You wear sunscreen consistently and limit sun exposure, and the lines are still there.  

If you’re not sure, or you think you might not be doing enough skincare, try stepping it up. Rebalance your routine to be more hydrating, and see if those signs of aging reduce. Remember, this is not an urgent decision and you don’t need to rush it. 

Wrinkles that result from muscle movement or facial movements, then go away, are not a good reason to get Botox!  The same is true of crepe-y skin from sun damage. But if you’ve tried all the cheaper solutions in the bullet points above and you’re still seeing those static wrinkles, Botox might be a good idea. 

So: it’s not so much about a good age or the right age. It’s having the signs that Botox will actually be an effective treatment. If you stayed super healthy and always wore sunscreen, you might make it to your late 30s or early 40s before you saw these signs! Don’t go by pressure from your age group, either. A good time for someone else might not be the right time for you. 

I have these signs but I can’t afford Botox. What else can I do? 

I really feel like I got excellent results from chemical peels at home while I was healing the skin damage I got from years of smoking and sunbathing. (The decade I spent smoking cigarettes is one of the great regrets of my life!)

If you think Botox is not financially in the cards for you… First, I’m proud of you for making the financially responsible choice. There’s no sense going into debt for cosmetic purposes. (And the stress of worrying about money is likely to age you more anyway.) 

Or, maybe you’re just looking to hold off Botox as long as possible! I love that too. There’s nothing wrong with aesthetic treatments, but it’s a lot of time and money once you start! 

The first steps for basic anti-aging skincare should be a simple, hydrating routine 

that involves sun protection every day. I’ve got a post about UVA sunscreens that prevent aging sun damage, which includes fine lines and deep wrinkles. As far as skincare products, I don’t think you need any special products. Just use a few items that hydrate with water and oil. For me, that looks like:

 

A hyaluronic acid product, and an oil that tops my evening skincare. For younger people, that might be all you need! 

As we get into our late twenties and early thirties, you might also need to be exfoliating regularly to keep those lines in check. A simple exfoliating serum is a great way to keep your brightest, freshest skin. Recently I switched over to tretinoin, which requires a prescription, but prior to that I used a basic AHA serum a couple times a week. I loved this one: 

And finally, if you’re open to smaller expenses, you can consider either chemical peels or microneedling, either at home or in an office. I’m going to write that up sometime in another post because I feel like I’ve mostly recovered from having made bad choices in the past through these types of treatments. 

Pin this post to come back to it next time you think about starting Botox!