Although during the film the protagonist who plays the popular children’s doll is not seen doing Botox, it managed to create a global frenzy around the treatment and became the reason for millions of girls to flock to their dermatologist for a Barbie Botox!

What is Barbie Botox?

It is a treatment that is not applied to the face, like the well-known botox that targets expression wrinkles. On the contrary, it is applied to the body and more specifically to the trapezoid muscles located at shoulder level with the aim of sculpting the upper part of the torso and giving a more refined figure reminiscent of that of the well-known doll. The trend is spreading rapidly, especially in the US and Australia, with many content creators “uploading” their personal experience on social media.

In these videos, the young girls are seen visiting their doctor and enjoying a Barbie Botox, which is applied with about 6-10 jabs to each trapezius muscle on the right and left of the neck, and then uploading photos of the result of the treatment which offers thinner shoulders and a higher neck.

Barbie Botox or otherwise TrapTox

Although Barbie Botox has become extremely popular on social media these days, the treatment is not new. Until recently, it was known as Trap Tox, after the trapezius muscle. The new film, however, became an occasion to highlight this unusual application of botox, with the result that the hashtag #TrapTox now has more than 25 million views on TikTok!

“TrapTox, now popularly known as Barbie Botox, is performed by injecting a neurotoxin into the trapezius muscle, the broad muscle that connects the upper back to the neck. It is recommended to relieve the muscle when it is too “tight” or overworked and causes severe pain in the back and neck“, explains Dr. Amalia Tsiatoura, Dermatologist-Venoretologist and Scientific Director of Cosmetic Derma Medicine.

“The treatment involves injecting about 40 units of neurotoxin into the trapezius muscle on each side of the body, with the aim of temporarily blocking communication between nerve cells in the area. As a result, the muscles in the upper back relax and the curve between the shoulders and neck naturally increases.”

The result is visible after about two weeks, that is, as long as it takes the medicine to work. The upper part of the torso looks more sculpted and refined, reminiscent of the figure of perhaps the most popular children’s doll.

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Yes or No to Barbie Botox?

“The uses of neurotoxin in Medicine have been known and tested for many decades, not only for smoothing wrinkles on the face, but also for the treatment of migraine, as well as for the treatment of hyperhidrosis in the armpits, palms and soles. The use of neurotoxin in the trapezius muscle for the purpose of pain relief in the area does have an effect if it is done by a qualified doctor.

This is a treatment recommended for people who work long hours at a computer and have the wrong posture or do activities that put a lot of tension on the neck and back muscles“, explains Dr. Chiatura.

Is this treatment safe? “What is certain is that botulinum toxin, in the experienced hands of a dermatologist with knowledge of anatomy, is a safe treatment with excellent results. As with botox on the face, the application to the trapezius muscle is painless, non-invasive and has no recovery time.

However, care must be taken to apply it to the correct spot on the muscle, otherwise it is pointless and could have side effects“, emphasizes Dr. Chiatura.