Botox Injections can Make You Sad, Botulinum Toxin Prevents You from Smiling Properly

With the birth of botox in the early 80s (otherwise known as small amounts of injectable botulinum toxin), celebrities and debutantes around the country were busy scheduling doctor's appointments to shoot poison into their face.

And still, today, the wrinkle-free look is all the rage, with casting directors complaining about movie stars who just can't lower their eyebrows anymore. Who'd have thought...

In any case, a new study suggests that botox injections, commonly used to get rid of laughter lines, may cause some to become more depressed because it prevents them from being able to smile properly.

As botox works to temporarily freeze muscles in the face, it also cuts off the signals sent to the brain that form when we smile and make us feel happy.

It means the treatment may indirectly spark depression, according to Cardiff University psychologist Dr. Michael Lewis.

Botox is one of the most popular drugs used for medical and cosmetic treatments, including the reduction of facial lines and wrinkles by regular injections. 

Previous research by Lewis showed that treating frown lines could leave consumers feeling unhappy.

His latest study looked at 25 women who had Botox jabs for frown lines or crows' feet, or facial fillers.

They were asked to complete questionnaires, rating symptoms of depression between two and four weeks later.

Women who had their crows' feet treated scored around 12 compared to an average of seven by women who had their frown lines treated - more than 50 per cent higher.

"The expressions we make on our faces affect the emotions we feel. We smile because we are happy but smiling also makes us happy," Lewis said, according to The Daily Mail. "Treatment with drugs like Botox prevents the patient from being able to make a particular expression."

"For example, those treated for frown lines with Botox are not able to frown as strongly. This interrupts the feedback they would normally get from their face and they feel less sad."

Consultant cosmetic surgeon and council member of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, Charles Nduka, agreed with Lewis, adding that he had also seen his work in person. 

Some of Nduka's studies involve restoring facial animation to patients after a disease or stroke.

"Enabling people to smile more has a beneficial effect on mood," Nduka said.
"When I have operated on someone with facial palsy I do see an elevation of mood, partly because they feel better about their appearance but another positive effect is from the rehabilitation process which requires them to smile more often."

The study is published online in the article "Botulinum Toxin Cosmetic Therapy Correlates with a More Positive Mood" in the journal Cosmetic Dermatology.