Schoolgirls as young as 13 are seeking Botox to mimic celebrities amid a rise in metal health and self-esteem problems, plastic surgeons warn

  • One doctor said it was an ‘extremely sad and very worrying’ situation
  • An expert said regulators need to stop 'inappropriate celebrity endorsements' 
  • No legal age restrictions on having Botox - the brand name for botulinum toxin

There has been an alarming rise in teenagers as young as 13 seeking Botox treatment to mimic celebrities amid surge in mental health and self-esteem issues, plastic surgeons have warned.  

Dr Nick Lowe, of west London, who is one of the dermatologists who pioneered the treatment in the 1990s, said it was an ‘extremely sad and very worrying’ situation.

He said: ‘Girls are having treatment at an age when they don’t need it — we’re seeing body dysmorphic syndromes and a terrible loss of self- confidence.

Mark Henley, president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, said regulators need to stop 'inappropriate celebrity endorsements'

Mark Henley, president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, said regulators need to stop 'inappropriate celebrity endorsements'

Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine he added: ‘They’re convinced that looking like a celebrity is going to make them happier and more successful.’

There are no legal age restrictions on having Botox - the brand name for botulinum toxin - and some plastic surgeons admit the trade is regulated poorly.

Mark Henley, president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, told the publication regulators need to pay more attention and stop 'inappropriate celebrity endorsements'.

He added that the targeting of 'vulnerable young people with self-esteem issues' also must be prevented. 

Girls as young as eight were found to be targeted by online cosmetic surgery apps and games that mimicked the effects of procedures, a report by the Nuffield Council of Bioethics discovered. 

Girls as young as eight were found to be targeted by online cosmetic surgery apps and games that mimicked the effects of procedures, a report by the Nuffield Council of Bioethics discovered

Girls as young as eight were found to be targeted by online cosmetic surgery apps and games that mimicked the effects of procedures, a report by the Nuffield Council of Bioethics discovered

The council has previously called for people under 18 to be banned from all cosmetic treatment.

Earlier this year, Superdrug said it would carry out mental health checks on customers who wanted Botox, with the health and beauty retailer only offering their £99 cosmetic treatment to those aged 25 or over. 

When injected into the face, Botox can help soften hard lines caused by muscles contracting, and lasts up to three to six months. 

Dr Dan Marsh, who is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: 'Young people are having botulinum toxin injections in the belief that they are preventing ageing - this is not the case.'