For a long time, botulinum toxin injections were taboo, especially among celebrities.

But today, the procedure is no longer seen as unusual. In France, botulinum toxin is the second most commonly performed aesthetic procedure after hyaluronic acid injections. “It’s become something people do, like hair removal or facial cosmetic procedures,” Dana Berkowitz, a sociologist and author of Botox Nation: Changing the Face of America, told The Washington Post.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 9.8 million botulinum toxin injections were performed in the United States in 2024. Botox — the most well-known brand — remains the most widely used form in aesthetic medicine. By comparison, about 5 million injections were registered in 2019, indicating that demand has doubled in five years. Thus, botulinum toxin has become an indispensable element of modern aesthetic practice.

As often happens in the world of fashion and beauty, it is celebrities who pave the way for such practices. If before confessions about aesthetic procedures were taboo in interviews, today stars speak openly and without complexes. In 2022, Kim Kardashian told Allure magazine that the only invasive procedure she had undergone for her face was “a little Botox”. Actress Lindsay Lohan, often suspected of resorting to plastic surgery, also admitted to Elle in 2024 that she had undergone botulinum toxin injections, attributing her good skin appearance to a healthy diet, cosmetic care and a diet rich in pickled beets.

This change in attitudes marks a cultural turning point. Before 2010, the revelation that a celebrity used Botox could be perceived as a scandal or an attack. Today, botulinum toxin is almost part of the personal narrative. A clear example of this transformation is the actress Megan Fox: while in 2011 she posted a series of selfies on Instagram, in which she frowned with the comment “Things you can’t do with your face when you have Botox”, in March 2024 she openly shared in a podcast that she had undergone several breast augmentation surgeries, rhinoplasty, botulinum toxin injections and other interventions.

Although few celebrities are so frank, according to Dana Omari — an influencer with over 250,000 followers on Instagram — transparency is now inevitable in the face of an increasingly informed public. Her account, dedicated to “before and after” photos of celebrities, humorously hints at possible interventions. For Omari, the use of botulinum toxin is not shocking — it is perceived as a quick, easy and reversible aesthetic correction. Its prevalence in reality shows also contributes to its normalization. | BGNES