Refine the neck thanks to Botox injections in trapezoids: the “Barbie Botox” trend seduces thousands of young women but worries health professionals.
A trend born in Korea and carried by K-Pop
Fashion has emerged in Asia, popularized by Korean influencers and the slender look of members of the BlackPink group. The idea is simple: inject high doses of botulinum toxin into the trapezoid muscles at the base of the neck to release them. Result: a visibly elongated neck, refined shoulders and a silhouette deemed more “feminine”.
© Marisoo – Shutterstock
Botulinum toxin injection for trapezius muscle. Back of Neck and Shouledrs Before and After Botulinum Toxin.; Shutterstock ID 2468713195; Purchase_order: True Medical; Job: Digital
The phenomenon, also nicknamed “Trap tox”, has become viral after a creator of Korean content showed her injections to her 47,000 subscribers on Instagram. Since then, hashtags have exploded: on Tiktok, #barbiebotox has accumulated more than ten million views.
Behind the photos before/after on Tiktok hides a procedure much more risky than it seems. As the British cosmetic surgeon Dr Parisha Achaya, cited by CNN: “recalls:”When the botox is injected into a muscle, it stops the connection with the nerve. Over time, this leads to a weakening and paralysis of the muscle “.
The principle of Barbie Botox, a diverted medical procedure
Contacted by True Medical in August 2023 on the emergence of Barbiebotox, the Parisian cosmetic surgeon Dr Jonathan Haddad explained that he does not plan to use this gesture to respond to a simple aesthetic demand. He insists on the initial vocation of these injections: “The botulinum toxin is used in addition, in two places. With physiological aging, the Platysma muscle, which starts from the jaw collars can make a shortening, and reveal what are called plastymal or barter ropes (unsightly bands which are signs of aging of the neck). In this case, small doses of botulinum toxin can help relax this muscle and reduce this aspect. In terms of trapezius, botox will not be used to refine the shoulders, but rather to treat and release muscle tensions when a bad posture makes the patient suffer or the patient“.
According to him, it is now enough for a trend launched by a film or a star so that medical practices are diverted by less scrupulous practitioners.
Real health risks
If the injection is carried out by an experienced doctor, the side effects remain minimal: redness, light swelling, temporary bruises. But the dangers increase considerably in bad hands.
Dr. Jonathan Haddad warns: “The risks with Botox remain quite minimal in the hands of an experienced doctor: we are talking about small redness or bruises which will resolve between 48 to 72 hours. However, injections at the neck can affect a significant nerve involved in breathing. Inexperienced use could very well cause asphyxiation. As for the muscles of the trapeze, the risks are less large, but a bad injection, in the wrong dose and non -symmetrical can cause an imbalance in posture“.
According to American coach Alicia Jamison, quoted by Health, Botox injections weaken the trapeze muscle, which complicates its future functioning. In addition, Botox can have negative effects on the body. A 2015 study has shown that these injections can cause serious side effects.
The Parisian surgeon stresses that before running after the “barbie neck”, non -invasive solutions exist: massages, physical exercises like the movement of “y” to stretch the trapezius and restore a harmonious posture (stretch which consists in stretching his arms in the shape of a y, chest on the ground, which helps to strengthen the muscles of trapeze).