Every year or every few years, there is a movie or TV show that spurs interest in facial aesthetics treatments, as people see a look, like it and want to try and adapt it to themselves.

It is perhaps not all that surprising that the 2023 Barbie movie, filled with utterly beautiful people in a bright vivid world, would not be an exception to this, and create an interest not seen since the peak of Love Island’s popularity, even if the film itself is far more strange and existential than it looks at first glance.

It has led to a rise in so-called “brotox”, with men booking tweakment appointments, but the most unusual aspect of the Barbie cosmetic boom is a viral beauty trend with the somewhat non-indicative name “Barbie Botox”.

Barbie Botox is the latest permutation of another recent beauty trend known as “traptox”, where botox is injected into the trapezius muscles to reduce neck and shoulder tension, which can sometimes help to reduce migraines. However, here it is used for a very different purpose.

Partially relaxing the trapezius muscles makes them look smaller, which has the side effect of making the neck look both slimmer and longer, which reflects how typical Barbie dolls had long, slim necks as part of their design.

At least, that is according to the effusive praise of the treatment. In reality, as with all cosmetic treatments, the results can vary and it is always important to consult an aesthetic expert before proceeding with treatment.

Sometimes the result can be dramatic, but in other cases that can be little in the way of aesthetic difference, even if it can help to reduce pain and improve posture.

The key, as with any treatment, is to get as much information as you can and consult an expert to explore the look you want and the results you can realistically expect from any given treatment.