Legal Age for Botox?

Hi Hannah,
There is not a "legal age" for Botox. Botox is a medication that should be used for the proper indications.
There are very young patients who suffer from cerebral palsy who receive high doses of Botox to relieve their muscle contractions. Patients with either excessively sweaty palms or arm pits receive Botox at young ages. It was alleged that Sharon Stone even had her young son's feet injected to cut down on his sweating and "stinky" feet.
As for cosmetic use, when there's an unwanted wrinkle, or an eye brow that needs to be elevated, then it can be used. But let's face it, in facial cosmetic surgery, "Nothing beats youth." Enjoy your unadulterated G-d given beauty while you are young, the lines and wrinkles will come soon enough. Feel sorry for those in their teens and early twenties who find it necessary to use Botox cosmetic prematurely.
Excuse me but I have a patient that needs some Botox injections.
Be well.
Dr. P

Thank you for your question. Patients are starting to use Botox at younger and younger ages. They can even start in their 20s and typically want to retain the smooth appearance of the forehead/frown region and their crows feet to prevent the lines from appearing in the future. The treatment lasts for several months but in some patients, they can last even 6 months.  Botox is indicated in patients 18 and older.  I have used it in rare occasions in patients who are younger in conjunction with laceration repair or lesion removals to help with healing or in patients with excessive sweating.

The first signs of aging tend to be around the eyes. When you start to see crow's feet with smiling, or frown lines between your eyebrows, that usually means you're a good candidate for BOTOX injections. These signs of aging begin in the late twenties and are more pronounced when there is alot of unprotected sun exposure.
I hope this helps, and best regards.

Dear Hannah
The FDA approval of BOTOX for certain medical indications is for ages 12 and up. The approved age range for BOTOX cosmetic is approved for individuals who are 65 years old or less. However, these are essentially guidelines and the law allows physicians to use the judgment and use BOTOX in ways that are not FDA approved. This type of usage is called off-label and many drugs are used in an off-label fashion with great benefit to the individual receiving treatment.

For cosmetic purposes, the package insert recommends that Botox® “is indicated for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugator and /or procerus muscle activty in adult patients ≤ 65 years of age”. Please keep in mind that physicians may clinically decide to use Botox® in older or younger patients and in other anatomic areas as an as “off label” application if specific informed consent is obtained. For therapeutic and medical applications, the age drops to 12 years.

The answer to this question really depends upon the indication and usage.
For instance, strabismus and blepharospasm is approved by FDA with Botox for 12 years of age and older.
Many treatments in medicine are used "off label" with proper patient consent and are very effective. This does not make them illegal but makes it important for the patient to be informed of the off label use before receiving it.

I do not believe that there is a specific age requirement for Botox. I think that the majority of doctors will use common sense to only use it for the appropriate patients. That being said for facial lines of animation your not going to be giving it to a teenager. On the other hand, if there is a facial droop from a nerve injury, I imagine some doctors will use it to balance the face. This is just one situation where a younger patient may need it.

Botox can be used in patients of any age. It really depends on the indication. Botox can be used to treat multiple disorders, including cerebral palsy, and many young children are treated with Botox for that indication. When Botox is used for cosmetic indications, the doctor and patient need to determine if there is a real indication for it's use.
Given the prevalence of crows feet, forehead wrinkles, and frown lines, its use is steadily increasing. Many patients understand that using Botox at a younger age (20s) can be preventative and therefore start Botox at an earlier age. In rare cases, it might be necessarily to use Botox for a cosmetic indication in a patient in their late teens, but this would be very rare.

There is no specific requirement as many children have had Botox injections for a variety of neurologic and muscular discorders. Of course in an outpatient setting, any patient wanting Botox should be over 18 and, if not, have a parent or legal guardian present to hear the risks involved and to sign consent.
The youngest patient I have regularly treated with Botox has been 24yo -- a young girl with severe crow's feet from excessive sun exposure throughout childhood.
Good luck.

On the rare occasion I have used Botox cosmetically in patients under 18, their parents gave consent. The use of Botox in 20 year olds is now becoming routine as patients realize the preventative potential. They can give their own legal consent.