What in the World - Are anti-wrinkle injections like Botox worth it?

Download Are anti-wrinkle injections like Botox worth it?

Botox - or Botulinum toxin injections - has become mainstream. It’s no longer for the super-rich and A-list celebrities. As it’s become cheaper and more beauticians on the high street are offering it, its use is starting to become more widespread and normalised. Influencers are open about (some of) the non-surgical procedures they’ve had done. Why has it become so popular?

BBC Health and Wellbeing reporter Annabel Rackham explains how these anti-wrinkle injections work (the most common of which is the product Botox) and how they differ from other “tweakments” like filler. We also discuss the potential risks of getting these injections as well as a recent case of hospitalisations after fake Botox was used. And what to be aware of if you’ve decided you want to get it done.

BBC Africa Health correspondent Dorcas Wangira explains the rising demand for non-surgical beauty procedures in Kenya and why the authorities there are trying to crack down on unlicensed clinics and spas and practitioners with no registration.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams, Maria Clara Montoya and Julia Ross-Roy
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Published on Tuesday, 5th August 2025.

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