She is getting Botox shots - at 22

The fine needle was pierced through her cheek, six times on each side. But Cheryl (not her real name) didn't flinch one bit as she reclined in the clinical white patient's chair. 

At most, her brow furrowed ever so slightly at the ant bites she was receiving in the name of beauty. In a matter of minutes, her prickly ordeal was over. It was Cheryl's third visit to the plastic surgery clinic in Paragon Shopping Centre - for Botox shots. And she's only 22. 

THE LATEST CRAZE 

Yes, Botox injections aren't just snapped up secretly by middle-aged madams anymore. More women in their 20s are also lapping up the latest craze in cosmetic surgery. Botox is a wrinkle-smoothing toxin which can temporarily eliminate frown lines, crows' feet and all those things women hate about their faces by paralysing nearby muscles. It is administered through a few tiny injections.

Cheryl, an accounting student from a private school, looked like a fresh bloom in a reception room teeming with 60-year-old tai tais. After all, 20-somethings comprise a small - but growing - percentage of the total number of Botox users in Singapore. Although sweet-looking and blessed with alabaster skin, Cheryl - who didn't have a trace of makeup on her - is still dissatisfied with her looks. Standing at 1.63m and weighing only a shocking 41kg (when she should be weighing around 56kg), she had hated her 'puffy and chubby cheeks' since her secondary school days. She said: 'My friends are all born with nice slim faces, so that makes me more self-conscious.'

Dr Lionel Lim, a consultant psychiatrist, said that Cheryl's preoccupation with Botox could be a 'psychological condition'. He said: 'There's a small portion of people who seek cosmetic help for the wrong reasons. They have a distorted view of their body image which cannot be corrected by surgical procedures because they'll never be satisfied.' Other than seeking professional counselling, Dr Lim advised that these girls can be helped if the correct values are emphasised through family members, mentors and peers who do not subscribe to the importance of looks.

On Monday afternoon, Dr Martin Huang, a consultant plastic surgeon at MDSpecialist Healthcare, contoured Cheryl's jawline by jabbing her with 20 units of Botox on each side. It shrinks the muscles by relaxing them, so that her jawline will look longer and more 'streamlined'. No bleeding or bruising, and almost no sign that she had undergone a medical procedure, save for temporary reddening of the area and a tightening feeling.

SIDE EFFECTS & RISKS 

Doctors claim that side effects are temporary. Users may experience headaches, nausea and the drooping of their eyelids. Badly-done injections could also potentially destroy the face's expressiveness. Botox emerged as a cosmetic aid only three years ago, so it's too early to tell whether long-term health risks will arise in the future.

Not that any potential repercussions can drag Cheryl away from Botox. Previously, she even approached a plastic surgeon recommended by a friend who had her cleft lip fixed, and told she would have to go under the knife for $20,000. Then a year ago, she read a report on the miracle wrinkle-zapping drug in The New Paper. Armed with $5,000 in savings and a monthly $1,500 salary for helping her father with his business, Cheryl decided to give Botox a try.

So far, she has splurged $2,400 on three treatments. Cheryl admitted sheepishly: 'Only my mum knows, although she tried to talk me out of it initially. Anyway, she knows there's no risk.' Her friends, however, will be kept in the dark for now. 'They will think I'm a spendthrift and that it's a waste of money since it's only temporary. I don't want them to nag at me.'

Yes, the effects of Botox don't last. 'After six months, you'll see the puffiness again. But it's really much slimmer after getting the Botox. If it's going to solve my problem, I don't think about the money.' 
Cheryl will put a stop to her obsession only when the cash runs out. But it won't be long before the young girl latches on to another imperfection. She confessed: 'Now, I'm thinking of having my eyes done. Double eyelids look so nice.'

Source: The Straits Times