If you are an ASU student in Tempe, running between classes on campus, grabbing coffee on Mill Avenue, or swiping on dating apps before a hike at South Mountain, you already know this:

Everyone is filtering something.

A 2021 survey found that about 1 in 5 American adults has used a beauty filter before posting a picture or video, and almost half of people aged 18 to 29 had used them (Consumer Reports, 2021; King University, 2024). Another report showed that heavy social media and filter use are linked to more frequent appearance comparisons and greater body image dissatisfaction in young adults (Col et al., 2025; National Board for Certified Counselors [NBCC], 2025). 

So if you are smoothing your forehead or blurring under eye lines on Snapchat or Instagram, you are not weird. You are normal.

But there is a difference between playing with filters for fun and feeling like you cannot post, date, or interview without hiding your real face. That is where Tempe wrinkle relaxer treatments like Letybo and Jeuveau, both in the same family as Botox, can offer a healthier, more honest option.

Filters Hide. Neuromodulators Actually Help The Skin And Muscles

Filters are digital makeup. They:

• Blur fine lines
  
• Sharpen your jawline
  
• Adjust your nose and lips
  
• Change your skin tone and texture
  

As soon as you close the app, it is gone. Your real skin has not improved. In fact, multiple studies show that frequent use of appearance filters and edited images is associated with more body dissatisfaction, appearance comparisons and pressure to change your looks (Col et al., 2025; Dove, 2022; NBCC, 2025). 

Wrinkle relaxers work completely differently.

The active molecule in Botox, Letybo, and Jeuveau is a form of botulinum toxin type A. It temporarily blocks the signal from nerve to muscle, so the muscle does not contract as strongly. When the muscle moves less, the skin on top creases less, and lines soften or never get very deep in the first place (Carruthers & Carruthers, 2023). 

Botox has been FDA approved since 2002 to temporarily improve moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines in adults (Allergan, 2022). 

At Bella Medspa in Tempe, NP Karla uses Letybo and Jeuveau, which are similar neuromodulators in the same “Botox family.” They:

• Work on the same pathway
  
• Have similar safety profiles when used correctly
  
• Typically last about 3 to 4 months, like Botox
  
• Often start working faster, with visible changes in 2 to 3 days, instead of waiting the full 14 days for classic Botox to settle (Greenwich Medical Spa, 2025; Plaza Medical Spa, 2025; Ayana Dermatology, 2024; Eternal Dermatology, 2022).
  

For ASU students and young professionals who do not want to wait two weeks to see a smoother forehead, that faster onset matters. You can have a treatment before interviews, graduation photos, or a big date night and start seeing the effect within the same week.

Why Wrinkles Show Up Even In Your 20s

You might be thinking: “I am 20. I should not even be thinking about wrinkles yet.”

Here is the reality in Arizona:

• You squint in bright Tempe sun walking across campus
  
• You raise your brows when you stare at your laptop or phone
  
• You frown when you are stressed about exams or money
  

All of that repetitive motion leaves marks where the skin folds the most. These are called dynamic lines. Over time, if the skin’s collagen slowly decreases, those dynamic lines can turn into static lines that show even when your face is resting. Sun exposure and dehydration, both common in the Phoenix area, speed that up (American Academy of Dermatology, 2023). 

Filters can erase those lines in your Stories. Letybo or Jeuveau help by:

• Softening the muscle movement that keeps folding the skin
  
• Giving your skin a break so it can rebuild some collagen
  
• Preventing lines from etching in deeper while you are young
  

That is not about chasing perfection. It is about skin longevity and taking care of your future.

Catfishing Is Not Just A Joke. It Is A Confidence Issue

We talk about catfishing like a meme, but it is serious.

Online dating research from Pew shows that 71 percent of online daters say it is very common for people on apps to lie about themselves to appear more desirable (Anderson et al., 2020). 

Other analyses suggest that a sizable share of users admit to using outdated or heavily edited photos, or misrepresenting details like age, height or body shape to look more attractive online (Psychology Today, 2017). 

When you think about it, catfishing is more than just cat fishing. It is a sign that someone does not feel okay in their own skin.

If you:

• Only post filtered selfies
  
• Use photos from years ago
  
• Avoid FaceTime or in person meetups
  
• Panic when someone wants to see the “real you”
  

that is exhausting. It may help you feel safer at first, but it rarely ends well in the long term. People feel misled. You feel exposed. It can hurt job prospects, dating, and friendships when the gap between you online and real life gets too wide.

This is not about shame. It is about honesty and self respect. Cosmetic treatments like Letybo and Jeuveau should not turn you into a new person. They should help align real world you with how you feel inside, so you do not feel like you need to hide behind filters all the time.

Preventative Neuromodulators: Trend Or Smart Tempe Strategy

There is a lot of talk online about “preventative Botox.” Some experts support starting low dose neuromodulators when fine lines first appear, while others warn against over treating very young faces and remind people that Botox is still a real medical drug, not just a beauty hack (Allure, 2023). 

The data is still developing. We do know that:

• Botulinum toxin type A can soften existing dynamic wrinkles and delay deeper creasing (Carruthers & Carruthers, 2023).
  
• In 2023, there were about 4.7 million botulinum toxin type A procedures in the United States, a 6 percent increase from the year before (American Society of Plastic Surgeons [ASPS], 2024; Modern Aesthetics, 2024).
  
• Globally, botulinum toxin is the most common non surgical cosmetic procedure in every age group, with about 8.8 million procedures reported by plastic surgeons worldwide in 2023 (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery [ISAPS], 2024). 

At Bella Medspa, NP Karla does not believe every 20 year old in Tempe needs “preventative Botox.” She believes in:

• Sunscreen every day
  
• Hydration, especially in Arizona heat
  
• Retinoids when appropriate
  
• Then low, thoughtful doses of Letybo or Jeuveau only where your facial expression patterns genuinely put you at risk of early etched lines
  

The goal is not to freeze your face. It is to protect your future skin while you still look like yourself.

Filters versus Real Life Confidence For ASU Students

If you are an ASU student or young professional searching “Botox Tempe AZ,” “Jeuveau near ASU,” or “wrinkle relaxer Tempe,” here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Do I like my face in person, or only on camera with a filter
  
• Do I feel guilty or fake when my dating profile does not match real life
  
• Do I want to age naturally, but with good tools and planning
  

Filters give you:

• Quick fake smoothness
  
• Inconsistent results
  
• A bigger gap between online and offline you
  

Letybo and Jeuveau, when used well, give you:

• Consistent smoothing of specific muscle driven lines
  
• Results that last months, not seconds
  
• More confidence to show up in real life, interviews, classes, and dates without hiding
  

In a culture that pushes toxic beauty standards and endless comparison, choosing a real world, medically supervised treatment can actually be more honest than pretending you woke up like your favorite filter (Dove, 2022; NBCC, 2025). 

Final Thoughts For 20 Somethings In Tempe

You do not have to choose between “never touch my face” and “lie about everything online.” There is a middle ground.

• You can support your skin with sunscreen, sleep, water, and good skincare.
  
• You can choose small, strategic Letybo or Jeuveau treatments with a licensed injector like NP Karla to soften the lines that really bother you.
  
• You can post photos that actually look like you, not like an AI version of you.
  

Catfishing and heavy filter use are signs that something deeper needs attention. Letybo and Jeuveau will not fix your entire self esteem, but they can be one helpful tool in a bigger plan to feel comfortable in your own skin, on campus, on Mill, on hikes, and on dates.

If you are tired of hiding behind filters and wondering what you would look like if your selfie and your real face finally matched, it may be time to talk to a real human, not just another app.

References

Allergan. (2022). BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) prescribing information.

Allure. (2023). The most surprising new Botox and filler trends. 

American Academy of Dermatology. (2023). Wrinkles: Causes, prevention, and treatment.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (2024). 2023 plastic surgery statistics report. 

Anderson, M., Vogels, E. A., & Turner, E. (2020). The virtues and downsides of online dating. Pew Research Center. 

Carruthers, J., & Carruthers, A. (2023). Botulinum toxin for facial lines: Clinical applications and long term use. Dermatologic Surgery.

Col, B. K., et al. (2025). The effects of comparisons of physical appearance on body image and social media use. Body Image. 

Consumer Reports. (2021, October 13). 59% of Americans find social media beauty filters troubling. 

Dove. (2022). The selfie talk: Social media and body image stats. Dove Self-Esteem Project. 

Eternal Dermatology. (2022). How quickly does Jeuveau start working. 

Greenwich Medical Spa. (2025). Letybo: The newest neurotoxin for frown lines. 

International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (2024). ISAPS international survey on aesthetic/cosmetic procedures performed in 2023. 

King University. (2024). The link between social media and body dysmorphia. 

Modern Aesthetics. (2024, June 27). Cosmetic surgeries, procedures gaining popularity among Gen Z.

National Board for Certified Counselors. (2025). How social media influences body image. 

ParentsTogether. (2021). Social media beauty filters survey results. 

Plaza Medical Spa. (2025). Letybo vs. Botox: Key differences explained. 

Psychology Today. (2017). Lying online. 

SpaMedica. (2025). Botox usage statistics 2023. 

Ayana Dermatology. (2024). Jeuveau vs. Botox: Understanding the differences.