The term baby botox refers to smaller doses of conventional muscle inhibitors (botox is a brand name that patients usually refer to) administered to treatment areas such as the forehead, frown lines or crows feet. However, rather than an old fashioned ‘frozen’ look, it allows an experienced doctor to achieve a more natural look. In my clinical experience, it allows patients to keep up the preventative measures against facial ageing while still being able to fully express their emotions and, more importantly, not compromise the lymphatic function of facial muscles.

Smaller doses injected strategically allow us to treat a full face, making sure that the patient’s face doesn’t have the potential to age differently depending on what’s been treated. With regard to age group, I strongly believe that using smaller doses of muscle relaxers should be universal to all age groups and no one, irrespective of age, would want to look frozen and unnatural.

I strongly believe so. In my practice, I refer to baby botox as ‘strategic botox’ and my main goal is to take some control over the appearance of lines. For example, smile lines representing positive emotions are encouraged, whereas a deep frown line may make you look angry even when you are just focused. Finally, a preventative approach prioritises skin health and doesn’t just rely on muscle relaxation in the hope that it’s a miracle cure. Skincare and lifestyle are both essential.

As a doctor I always recommend to start your journey with a consultation and never to rely on general advice. But, if I am to be honest, your twenties are probably more likely to be all about sun protection and good skincare products. Your thirties, especially after 35, is when you want to focus on prevention.

I have, in my years of experience, met patients who would rely on forehead botox as their only beauty regime. It’s absolutely not the way forward! After all, we have to make sure that the foundation of skin health is not compromised, and that means good lifestyle choices and skincare. Botox does help but it’s not there to replace good habits. With regenerative medicine taking over ‘look good’ aesthetics, we want to give our patients alternatives such as polynucleotides, exosomes and energy devices to compliment their skin.

Once the lines are formed we do not just rely on skincare and you may want to consider in-clinic treatments for collagen stimulation. As for skincare, my favourite ingredient is, of course, retinol but, as I said, exosomes are slowly becoming more common and may be the future of regenerative medicine.