Can Botox Improve Your Mood?

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are most commonly used to treat facial wrinkles and hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. Other off-label Botox uses range from migraine treatments to voice disorder therapy, among other things. Now, a new study is claiming that Botox injections may improve your mood too! Is there any truth to this newest, alleged Botox benefit?

Botox for Mood Regulation: Study Findings

The new Botox study, conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, loosely claims that Botox could double as a wrinkle treatment and an anti-depressant. Dr. David Havas, the study leader, interviewed a large group of Botox patients immediately following their Botox injections, and again two weeks later.

During both interview sets, Havas recorded Botox patients' response feelings and reactions to a series of statements. Havas and researchers reported that, although there was no change in the time it took Botox patients to react to "happy statements," it "took a longer period to express anger or sadness". This Botox-mood connection may correlate with a similar study done by Yale Medical School graduate and board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Murad Alam.

Dr. Alam noted a connection between "facial expressions and negative feelings" in his Botox experiment. Alam suggested that, in the same way that negative feelings can outwardly present themselves as frowns, furrows, and facial wrinkles, Botox patients' lack of wrinkles may work "backwards to adjust our emotions and make us happier".

Real Botox Benefits

It's likely that Botox's ability to improve a patient's mood primarily stems from the basic psychological benefits of anti-aging and cosmetic enhancement—people who are pleased with their appearance tend to feel happier and think more positively about themselves in general. Botox injections will probably never be a powerful substitute for anti-depressants, but Botox injections may put us in a better mood when we see immediate wrinkle reduction results! If there's another scientific link between Botox and mood regulation, it hasn't been made at this time.

So what are some definite benefits of Botox injections? The FDA has approved Botox® Cosmetic as an effective treatment for facial wrinkles, including crow's feet and frown lines. Furthermore, the majority of Botox patients enjoy wrinkle-free results for 3+ months at a time!

Botox injections are also proven effective at treating hyperhidrosis, and reportedly help patients eliminate excessive sweating for up to 4-7 months. While some patients say they've experienced wonderful migraine help with Botox injections, this is not presently an FDA-approved use for Botox. If you're considering Botox for migraines, just make sure to consult with your doctor first.

Are Botox Injections Right for Me?

Whether you're interested in Botox injections for mood improvement, excessive sweating, or wrinkles, you should visit with your doctor and a qualified Botox provider for a Botox consultation near you! They can answer more of your questions about Botox benefits, Botox risks and Botox costs, as well as create a personalized Botox treatment plan for you!