😳💉 Hope you’re not afraid of needles

It’s Thursday, Boston.

🍩 Tired: The Dubai chocolate bar. Wired: The Dubai chocolate DOUGHNUT. Union Square Donuts was an overachiever and whipped up these limited-edition Dubai chocolate bar doughnuts that look BEYOND. They sell out quickly, so jump on them while you still can!

👀 What’s on tap today:

• President Trump’s funding freeze

• Spring break is calling

• Baby on board!

Up first…

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Going under the needle

Forget turning back the clock. Gen Z is trying to stop it altogether. One of the latest wellness crazes among 20-somethings: “Preventative Botox.”

Here’s what to know:

💉 Botox is on the rise among young people. The number of 20- to 29-year-olds getting neuromodular injections (the fancy name for Botox-type treatments) increased by 71% between 2019 and 2022, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. These injections stop your muscles from contracting, which can minimize and prevent the appearance of wrinkles. 

👶 Much of what young patients are seeking is “preventative” Botox. Some call it “prejuvination.” Dr. Neelam Vashi, director of BU’s cosmetic and laser center, has noticed an uptick of 20-somethings asking for these treatments, including some who don’t have any wrinkles or lines at all. “A long time ago, that just wasn’t the case,” she said. “People were treating what they saw.” Now, many are getting neuromodular injections much earlier to nip wrinkles or fine lines in the bud. 

📲 Why now? Thank wellness culture’s newest fixation: skincare. Just look at the Sephora tweens. "That's essentially what's happening with our young adults too,” Vashi said. We see people on social media trying something out, looking great, and then we want to give it a go ourselves. 24-year-old B-Sider Brianna Kearney gets Botox to ward off a pesky fine line. She watched “a ton of videos” about young people getting the treatment before she felt comfortable trying it for the first time. 

💅 Plus, it’s (relatively) cheap and temporary. At least, compared to many other cosmetic procedures, said Dr. Arash Mostaghimi, a dermatologist at Brigham and Women’s. B-Sider Shae Feather, 28, who also gets injections in her forehead, sees the treatment as similar to getting your hair or nails done — another easy, nonpermanent tool in our beauty arsenal to make us feel a little better. 

🤕 But preventative Botox certainly isn’t for everyone. Mostaghimi said there aren’t really any medical risks of using neuromodular injections on young patients. But, if you’re young and don’t have signs of fine lines or wrinkles, there’s no reason to get the treatment — even preventatively. 

🚨 Note: Some aspects of this trend are raising alarms. Cosmetic treatments in the age of social media can be tricky to navigate. Mostaghimi sometimes worries that spending so much time with the unrealistic images on social media “may be making pathologic things that are absolutely normal,” like wrinkles or lines, especially for younger people. That’s why having a good doctor who’s willing to walk you through the process, understand your goals and motivations, and tell you when to pivot, is so important.

QUICK QUESTION!

💉 What do you think of preventative Botox?

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🚨 Local officials freaked over President Trump’s funding freeze. ICYMI: On Monday, Trump’s admin ordered a freeze on trillions in federal grants and loans, sending state leaders into a tizzy. After all, that $$$ supports everything from hospital research to the state budget to local nonprofits. Andrea Campbell, along with other AGs, sued Trump’s admin for the move and a federal judge ordered a temporary halt on the decision. But it looks like Trump’s walking back his plans for now: The White House budget office rescinded the order on Wednesday. 

🚌 Who’s supposed to remove snow from MBTA bus stops? Surprisingly, it’s not always the MBTA. While the agency is responsible for removing snow and ice from all MBTA properties, that responsibility is often shared across the thousands of bus stops on municipal sidewalks. And while trudging through the snow may feel like a minor inconvenience to some, it’s a major headache for those with disabilities (some folks carry shovels on the back of their wheelchairs just in case). So some advocates are calling for more clarity on whose job it really is.

🌴 Spring break called. It wants you to book a flight NOW. PSA: JetBlue and Southwest have some killer flight deals out of Logan that end tonight. JetBlue’s winter sale applies to trips between Feb. 3 and April 9 (excluding Fridays and Sundays), with one-way tickets as low as $49. Arguably the most interesting deals: This $89 flight to Grand Cayman and this $94 flight to Barbados. You’ll find similar prices on Southwest, with one-way fares as low as $69 for travel between Feb. 18 and May 22. Just make sure to read up on all the restrictions here.  

😂 Pass That Puss is shipping up to Boston. Jake Shane, the TikToker and comedian who went viral for his unserious impressions of very serious historical events (see: The Titanic sinking and Paul Revere’s midnight ride) announced he’s stopping in Boston for his “Live with Jake Shane” tour. Jake and friends will be taking the stage at MGM Fenway Music Hall on June 29. You can grab general sale tickets starting Friday at 10 a.m.

ONE LAST THING

Mayor Mama

Mayor Michelle Wu is making bring-your-child to work day a lifestyle. ICYMI: Wu gave birth to her third child, Mira, about two weeks ago, and they’re both already back in the office.

Wu and baby Mira made their post-birth debuts at City Hall on Tuesday, creating an opportunity for these adorable pics of Mira snoozing on mom mid-meeting. 

Though Wu’s taken steps to ensure city workers have access to parental leave, she said she plans to take more of a “working” leave, getting back to business with little Mira in tote. And while work certainly hasn't slowed for Wu (see: being called to testify about Boston’s “sanctuary” status and having an official challenger in this year’s mayoral race), we imagine having a sweet, sleepy baby in your arms offers a brief moment of bliss … until she cries.

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🥹 Thanks for reading! Whatever your politics are, I think we can agree that Mira is definitely in the top five for squishiest-looking babies. 

🍺 The results are in: 82% of respondents agree that, while it’s technically fine to drink an NA beer at the office, it’s definitely a little … weird. But one reader offered a much hotter take: “I think it’s fine to drink alcoholic beer at work but that's another issue.” Yeah, maybe don’t do that …

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