NuFace, Frownies and face tape: Our obsession with at home Botox and what it says about us (2024)

With the help of aninjection, Botox can give you a lifted, wrinkle-freeface. But now, women are trying to achieve this youthful look from the comfort of their own homes.

Recently, at-home anti-aging treatments have been all the hype. Take, for instance, Frownies Patches, a wrinkle-smoothingpatch to prevent forehead and other facial wrinkles. Or face tape, which holds your skin tautforan instant lift. And now, there areeven advancements in technology withproducts like NuFace, a device that uses micro-current technology to help lift and tone your face.

The goal of all of these products is to create thatBotoxed lookin minutes,all while avoiding the price and discomfort of Botox or surgical face-lifts.

"These options are becoming so popular because they are affordable, easy and convenient if you just want to look good for a special event, and/or you just don’t feel like going to a doctor’s office," explainsDr. Michele Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospitalin New York."For some, it allows them to see what a certain procedure can do for them without altering their face."

These products may be cheaper than Botox, but what is the real price being paid? Some experts worry that NuFace, Frownies and face tape areonly further perpetuating a centuries-old, sexist standard for women: that they must constantly strive for youth in order to be "beautiful."

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The increased interest in theseproducts comes aftera shift in society'sview of Botox itself, which has gone from shamed to sought after.

"During the early 2000s, Botox was commonly associated with reality TV stars who had excessive amounts injected. These individuals were questioned and ridiculed and Botox certainly did not have as good of a reputation it has today," Green explains. "Since then, Botox has changed from being tabloid fodder to standard practice for many individuals trying to look youthful."

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Experts say the pandemic has also played a role in heightening interest in thesetreatmentsas well asrevolutionizing do-it-yourself methods to achieve a taut face.Before, it was difficult to get an immediate, lifted look withouta professional. But as elective medical procedures took a back seat during COVID-19, more options emerged for people topamper themselves from home.

"The appeal isthat these are all at-home treatments, and it's interesting that the whole culture of going to the salon or medical spa has become less popular since the pandemic," saysNaomi Wolf, author of “The Beauty Myth.""There's a certain sense of empowerment of having your beauty ritual at home under your own control."

However, some experts worry that itspopularityreflects atoxic culture that promotes using beautytreatments to conceal, rather than embrace, fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. This pressureis especially damaging for young women, who are expected to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.

"All these anti-aging technologies, procedures and services are marketed primarily to women because we have a double standard where women experience aging in very different ways than men. Men get 'distinguished,' women get 'old,'" says Dana Berkowitz, associate professor of sociology and women,gender and sexuality studies at Louisiana State University.

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How do these treatments work?

Just asBotox has gone from mocked to the mainstream, DIY methods are gaining steam –but Green says you likely won't get the same result.

With NuFace, you sweep adevice across your facefor only a few minutes in order to contour facial muscles.Frowniesarelike a cast for facial muscles, Green explains, holding them flat and smooth to help release tension and lift deep expression lines. Face tape constricts muscles and limits their motion, oftentimes minimizing wrinkles, slimming the jawline and creating a “face-lift” effect.

Though these new products canaid in making this wrinkle-free appearance more accessible, the results are short-lived. Frowniesonly smoothenfrown lines for a few hours,and you will typically have to wear the patchesfor at least three hours prior to get those results. The NuFace can work, but it requires consistent usage and is often much weaker than devicesused in a medical office.

"These products have been heavily advertised to almost seem like miracle workers, but many individuals do not get the drastic changes shown in ads. For longer-lasting results, it is best to consult with a dermatologist to see what your options are in achieving your aesthetic goals," Green explains.

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What face tape, NuFace and Frowniessayabout our obsession with youth

Some experts hope these at-home products will encourage younger women to stray from more invasive procedures like Botox or face-lifts. The great thing about Frownies and face tape, Green says, isthey're "relatively risk-free," adding the NuFace has even been FDA-cleared.

"It's often unnecessary to inject someone under 25 for cosmetic reasons unless they have strong wrinkles that are negatively affecting their self-esteem or if they have a medical condition that Botox can treat such as teeth grinding or migraines," she says, adding Botox will have "little to no benefit" when it's done tooyoung since collagen production only begins to declinearound 25 years of age.

But others worry that the normalization of these treatments furtherillustrates how the gospel of anti-aging is spreading to younger, more impressionable girls.

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"There's always been a narrative that aging is a terrible thing for women. This is nothing new. But what I think is unique about this particular historical moment is that thisnarrative is being marketed to younger and younger women under the guise of responsible prevention," Berkowitzsays.

Nowadays, young womenfeel pressured to get cosmetic procedures like Botox before wrinkles are even formed.According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly21,000Botox injections were performed on teensaged 13-19 in 2017.

Overall, Green says the increased use of social media filters may be to blame for this obsession with youth and appearance.

"During the pandemic, people were spending more time on social media and were constantly in front of a screen. As a result, more individuals became more self-conscious about their appearance and wanted means to achieve an appearance similar to what filters provided for them. These products enabled them to get great results without needing to even leave their home."

But Wolffears the beauty industry isprofiting off of teens' insecurities to prevent aging at all costs.

"It makes me sad that women who are barelyeven mature are made to feel they need to take drastic measures (for their appearance), but I would say those attitudes are a leftover of this notion that women shouldn't age," she says.

Instead of demonizing perfectly natural features like wrinkles or fine lines,experts sayit's important to normalize and embrace the aging process.

"We take anti-aging for granted. We don't even question what it actually means. We're all going to age. We're all going to look like we're aging at some point so we're just prolonging the inevitable," Berkowitz says.

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