The maker of Botox says the use of the drug is on the rise.
AbbVie, the company that makes Botox, says that sales of the drug surpassed $1 billion in the first nine months of 2021. In 2020, Botox sales totaled about $600 million during that same time frame.
Dermatologist Dr. Annelise Dawson says her office started to see a substantial rise in patients requesting Botox around mid-2021.
"We are looking at a lot of patients who have been spending their days working from home and sitting in front of a Zoom camera at all times," Dawson said. "Essentially, what they're looking at is a mirror of their faces all day long, and they're getting to see the subtleties as far as the movements in their face and the lines in their faces."
There's also been a large influx of younger patients. AbbVie says the average Botox patient is now closer to 40 years old instead of 50. Dawson also says she's seen patients who are in their 20s — something she attributes to social media.
There's more trust in Botox procedures now that they've been around for about 20 years.
"Now, it's become really clear that when those treatments are done very precisely and correctly and conservatively, that they actually can produce really natural results that don't alter people's faces but help to prevent and delay aging," Dawson said.
Dawson says there's been no scientific evidence that Botox can cause substantial harm in younger people.
Cosmetic reasons aren't the only reason some may opt for Botox. A new report from UC-San Diego shows that Botox injections can help reduce anxiety. Doctors have also been using Botox to treat migraines, excessive sweating and jaw clenching.