Refining your neck, this is the method of aesthetic medicine that has been booming since the launch of the Barbie movie. But what is this practice worth and is it dangerous? Answers from Dr. Jonathan Haddad, plastic surgeon in Paris.
The film Barbie never stops talking about him. And the latest fad of fans of the Mattel doll is to refine her neck to look like the famous doll, even if it means having to resort to aesthetic medicine interventions!
Botox injected… in the trapezius
The intervention, called traptox in the middle, is now possible thanks to the injection of botulinum toxin, in the trapezius, for less than 1,000 euros. It thus gives the neck a refined and elongated appearance, which quickly conquers the networks. On TikTok, many people try these injections (especially young women) rushing to post before/after photos when the results finally show. The hashtag #BarbieBotox exceeded 10 million cumulative views on the social network on Monday.
@theinjectorpa The low down on Trap tox aka Barbie Botox 💉 #traptox #barbiebotox #tensionrelief #botoxformigraines ♬ original sound – Sierra | Botox & Fillers
A diverted therapeutic injection
In his office, the cosmetic surgeon Jonathan Haddad, whom we contacted, does not plan to practice this “traptox” so that his clients look like a doll. But the injection of botox in the trapezius is not just a whim of people who want a majestic head carriage. The technique responds to very specific indications.
“We use botulinum toxin as a supplement, in two places. With physiological aging, the platysma muscle, which starts from the clavicles to the jaw, can shorten, and cause what are called platysmal cords or baleen (unsightly bands that are signs of neck aging) to appear. In this case, small doses of botulinum toxin can help relax this muscle and reduce this aspect. At the level of the trapezius, Botox will not be used to refine the shoulders, but rather to treat and release muscle tension when poor posture is causing the patient pain.
But in the opinion of our expert, all it takes is often a trend on social networks, the opinion of a star or a movie, like Barbie, for new uses to emerge, with the help unscrupulous practitioners.
Risk of asphyxiation if the injection is done incorrectly
Like any medical procedure, this injection for aesthetic purposes requires the expertise of a professional. The desire for a more slender neck is not a good enough reason to go to the first expert you come across.
“The risks with Botox remain quite minimal in the hands of an experienced doctor: we are talking about small redness or bruising which will subside between 48 to 72 hours. However, injections in the neck can affect an important nerve involved in breathing. Inexperienced use could very well cause asphyxiation. As for the trapezius muscles, the risks are less great, but a bad injection, at the wrong dose and not symmetrical can cause an imbalance of the posture ” tells us our expert.
Trying to have Barbie’s neck doesn’t have to be such a risk. For the doctor, massage techniques aimed at relieving the muscles of the neck and trapezius muscles and physical exercises such as that of the Y, which consists of stretching the arms in a Y shape, chest on the ground, are already effective in regaining a port. quite acceptable head.
