Pushing age back

Botox injection is popular among young people in the United States. Katy Young, 28, receives an injection from cosmetic surgeon Steven Davis at Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. [Photo/Agencies]

Botox is becoming a part of millennials' basic beauty regimen. Elizabeth Wellington reports in Philadelphia.

Elizabeth Wellington Katy Young tries to stay ahead in this game of life. The 28-year-old woman does CrossFit five days a week－a well-rounded workout now gives a foundation for good muscle tone later.

She just purchased a townhouse in Pitman, New Jersey, a responsible way to build future financial equity.

And recently, Young got her second round of annual Botox injections, a head start on fighting later aging and ensuring that her current selfies are picture perfect.

"You know that Instagram filter that everyone uses?" asked Young, an athletic trainer at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with the words "fearfully wonderfully me" tattooed in flamboyant cursive on her forearm.

Cherry Hill plastic surgeon Steven Davis just finished injecting Botox in Young's forehead and around her eyes to smooth out barely there frown lines.

"That's what you look like. You have an Instagram-filtered perfect face."

Young is one of the growing number of millennials who healthcare professionals say are keeping standing appointments for nonsurgical beauty procedures like Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers Restylane and Juvederm to attack faint laugh lines or plump up lips.

"These 20-and early-30-somethings are looking at these procedures as a form of self-care," says Debra Johnson, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "It's part of their skin care and general maintenance routines."

Still, Botox injections before your 30th birthday? It's hard for me to rein in the judgment. Maybe it's because the 20s should be a carefree time when you can eat french fries and bask in the glory of the blazing sun－and not worry you will instantly gain 10 pounds or 10 wrinkles. Most people would look back at their natural, 20-something faces and kill for them.

On the flip side, back in the day, my friends weren't constantly checking in on our Snapchat stories or messaging Facebook hotties from our preschool past. With so much image-sharing, it's hard not to want to be perfect all day, every day, in every way.