Are Botox and Depression Linked?

Botox cosmetic injectables are chosen by patients to treat crows’ feet and wrinkles on the forehead. According to a recent article a small study revealed that the injections could in fact cause people to feel depressed. The treatment utilizes botulinum toxin and minimizes the strength of our muscles which assist in the faces overall ability to form a smile. A study that was led by Dr. Michael Lewis of the school of psychology, Cardiff, Wales, analyzed 25 people who had gotten Botox for facial lines and reviewed the idea of facial feedback – which included the expression made with their faces affecting how they felt. According to Dr. Lewis, happiness can cause you to smile and smiling can create happiness. The study discovered that treating frown lines cause patients to feel less depressed. In a previous separate study doctors have reported that treating clinically depressed patients using Botox for their frown lines actually got rid of their depression. Dr. Lewis and his researchers however, discovered that people that were treated for crows feet were left feeling increasingly depressed. The researchers concluded that reducing facial lines using Botox injections could affect emotions and how people see the world. Dr. Lewis found that people treated for crows’ feet had higher feelings of depression than their counterparts who treated only for frown lines. Dr. Lewis explained that the treatment of crows’ feet make patients less “smiley”, therefore causing them to feel more depressed. Dr. Lewis plans on continuing to study the effects of Botox on psychological behaviors. Patient should not consider Botox as a treatment for depression. Dr. Kim advises his patients to be clear of their motives for considering Botox injections. Botox treatments will not create the same results as a forehead lift. Nor will Botox treatments create the same effect as an upper lid blepharoplasty. For this reason it is important for patients to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kim in order to be sure that their receiving the right treatment to address their concerns. Patients who are considering cosmetic surgery procedures are encouraged to contact Dr. Kim and schedule a consultation.