'Barbie Botox' Is Trending On TikTok & Here's What You Should Know About The Cosmetic Procedure

What is Barbie Botox or Traptox?

Barbie Botox, or Traptox, is a treatment in which Botox is injected into the trapezius (trap) muscle, which is a large muscle in your back. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the trap muscle starts at the base of your neck and runs across your shoulders and down to the middle of your back.

The clinic also highlights that the trapezius muscle is "responsible for posture and movement."

Frontera says just like when you inject Botox anywhere on your face or body, it relaxes the muscle.

"When you relax muscles, it's sort of twofold what happens, and one thing is you relax the muscle, weakening the strength of the muscle," she told Narcity.

"The other portion of it is when you weaken a muscle you also tend to shrink the size of the muscles slightly [...] making the neck and the shoulders seem a little slimmer."

According to Contour, a medical spa in Denver, Colorado, the procedure takes between 10 and 20 minutes with "minimal discomfort" and "zero downtime."

The clinic explains the amount of units that will be needed during the treatment will depend on the patient, but typically between 50 and 75 units are needed on each side.

Results will take about two weeks to be felt and seen.

What are the benefits of Barbie Botox or Traptox?

Traptox is typically meant to help with back and shoulder pain and to improve posture, Frontera says.

However, it looks like many people seem to be rushing to clinics for the procedure due to the aesthetic benefits from the injection.

"If you de-bulk a muscle or kind of relax it, you're going to seem that you have sort of a more slim neck, a slimmer shoulder line, and it even makes you look like you have a more elongated neck," Frontera explained.

What are the risks of Traptox?

Unlike some of the other trends out there, Frontera says the "good thing" about this one is that in general Traptox does not come with a lot of risks.

The nurse practitioner says that's because you're working with a large muscle.

"I think the most common risk would be for someone to maybe be uneven or asymmetric from side to side," she added.

Frontera says it may also pose certain risks for someone who is big into working out because shrinking that muscle could make it weaker.

"If someone came in and was a person that worked out, did CrossFit or anything like that, I'd probably tell them not to do it."

That's why she advises people to get an assessment before they jump into it.

How much does Traptox cost and how long does it last?

The cost of the injection depends on how many units a person needs.

Frontera says the price could range between $500 to $1,000 USD, which is roughly $670 to $1330 CAD.

As for how long it lasts, that also depends on the person and it's different for everyone.

"It depends on their activity level, it might depend on the size of the muscle," Frontera said.

"I would say that you might get three to four, maybe five months out of it. But again, it's definitely down to the individual.'

Who is Traptox recommended for?

Experts seem to agree that Traptox isn't suitable for everyone and the best way to find out if it's right for you is to get assessed by a professional.

Dr. Sarah Tonks, an aesthetic doctor in London, told Harper's Bazar that the injection is suitable for someone with enlarged trapezius muscles and who "slouches over a lot" and experiences pain due to that.

Frontera agrees that she won't just do it for anyone who walks into her clinic asking for it because it's trending.

"When it comes to any injectable trends and this one in particular, again, our risks are very low, but I would say [like] with anything, make sure you go to a provider [...] someone that's really honest and someone you trust."