Botox injections are attracting more and more male customers. Particularly, Gen Z. The proof with the emergence on social networks of the Brotox hashtag, a mixture of “brother”, brother and Botox. Men encourage others to take care of themselves and ‘invest in themselves’.
Some men have been using Botox injections for several years. But lately, the demand from men, and especially Gen Z, for cosmetic procedures is on the rise. On TikTok, hundreds of videos show men receiving Botox injections. And the phenomenon is growing on the social network since the hashtag “Brotox” (contraction of brother, brother, and botox) has accumulated 17 million views. Patients, but also practitioners, multiply the videos showing men in full treatment.
A cosmetic procedure that is all the rage
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Botox injection is the most requested minimally invasive cosmetic procedure by men. 265,000 Americans used it in 2020, an increase of 182% since 2000. Men represent 6% of Botox injections in the United States.
Linana Sahakyan, nurse and co-founder of the Lauréate Aesthetics center in Los Angeles, notes this increase in male demand. About 20% of her clientele are men, she told the NY Post. “We have seen a steady increase in the number of male patients seeking various cosmetic treatments over the past few years. While Botox tops the list, procedures such as dermal fillers and laser treatments are gaining ground. also in popularity with our male clientele”.
This demand is all the more visible since the Covid-19 pandemic. Coming out of lockdown, plastic surgeons and dermatologists faced overwhelming demand for their services. A phenomenon due in particular to the “Zoom Boom”, and the omnipresence of videoconferences. Without counting also on the social networks which have changed the way in which we perceive ourselves. The advent of selfies, which has established new beauty criteria, is for example at the origin of certain cosmetic procedures, such as rhinoplasty or bichectomy. And this, especially among Generation Z.
A “pop culture” effect?
Shelly Woods, Advanced Aesthetics Practitioner and Founder of Skin Techniques explains the trivialization of aesthetic changes: “For Gen Z, Botox has become another way to personalize their appearance – it’s now seen as a haircut or a hair color,” she explains to Metro UK. “As trends evolve, it’s young people who are driving them on platforms like TikTok and influencing the new normal. Gen Z men are more aware than ever of how they present themselves aesthetically,” according to the specialist.
Behind this business, there are also beauty injunctions imposed on men, which make aging a taboo. Shelly Woods points out that men are now under “huge pressure to stay fresh and healthy”, and therefore seek to convey a certain ideal “that they see on celebrities, influencers, films and on their social media pages. social media”.
Indeed, among male celebrities, surgery is becoming more and more uninhibited. In 2021, Joe Jonas, singer and member of the Jonas Brothers band, admitted to using injections of Xeomin, a Botox-like injectable treatment commonly used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. He had also advertised it on the Xeomin Aesthetics Instagram account.
And that’s without taking into account the influence of the Barbie film, directed by Greta Gerwig, and the character of Ken (played by Ryan Gosling) who, against all odds, has become a new canon of beauty to be achieved. With the trend of Kencore, now, men want to physically resemble Ken.
