The Beauty Prescription

Face paralysis=happiness? Yikes and no thanks.

When you put it that way, I couldn't agree more!
But on the other hand, it was an interesting experience. Moods and emotions are complicated and any additional insights may be valuable in treating depression, a common and sometimes fatal disease.

I inject about 400 patients a year with Botox or Dysport (the latest botulinum-based neurotoxin, which is virtually identical to Botox), and I have seen two favorable side effects:
1) Decreased depression, and improved mood (as mentioned in the article)
2) Decreased headaches. Yes, some migraines may be caused by spasms of the facial musculature. Relaxation of those problem muscles can prevent the triggering "ache."

this is a very strange "case study". but before a clinical trial is ran under controlled conditions and also the "do not feel sad" confirmed in other face paralysis situations due to nerve damage or some other reason - the conclusion is a far cry from valid. As someone who lived through temporarily paralysis as a teen (took three months for my face to regain its sensitivity and movement) I lived through a lot of depression while waiting to get better. so please do not advertise off label treatment here. However, if the increased selfasteam through feeling more beautiful can lift someone off - than great! but that is a far cry from a cure also.

I've suffered moderate depression most of my life. I almost never cry, however. So, I frankly fail to see how paralyzing muscles in my face could improve my mood. And since I am not depressed over my facial features, I don't think I would get a relief of depression from the change in facial expression either.

I think this is a very weird suggestion, almost like saying depression results from being less attractive and that the solution is to "pretty up." And while I have read that less attractive people sometimes suffer depression as a result of the way they are treated, I think the solution is for society at large to get less shallow, not to advocate cosmetic fixes.

Facial paralysis never made me any happier. Maybe it's just the wrong part that's paralyzed? Maybe it has to be the entire brow, instead of only half of it. You think that might make a difference? Let the doctors inject Botox to paralyze the other side; instead of putting in a spring, so eye would close?

Lady, I think you need to get your head checked because you looked gorgeous the way you were! People get older, it is a fact of life. My grandmother is 80 years old and she is still radiantly stunningly beautiful and I think a lot of it has to do with her kind, fun-loving spirit. I have seen some baadddd badddd botox jobs in my life and it is so sad that people in this country put the pursuit of beauty over all things. I can understand wanting to look nice but I do think youd be better off if you knew that you'd look just as good if not better without the botox. there is nothing unattractive about wrinkles-what is unattractive is the way people spend their whole lives hiding their natural beauty just to look like generic cookie-cut barbie dolls.

Read more: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/botox-side-effects.html#ixzz0uXGXd6V1

XX the late, great Michael Jackson, This Is It. Now, I grew up on the same street as the Jackson family; I saw some of the early parts of Michael's story play out. So this movie affected me deeply. At the end, I wanted to cry at the tragedy of this brilliantly gifted man's life ending so early.XX
Jackson the kiddy fiddler do you mean? The peodofile so called "singer"?

Aye REALLY "great" that isn't it?

I had Botox to see what it was like to have Botox.I was quite open about it with everyone and figured I would try it out and see what the effects were. I can attest to the effect mentioned by Dr. Pickart on the headache front. It was the awesome! I didn't even care about the cosmetic effects once the headaches disappeared. I was headache free and remained that way until it wore off.

Unfortunately it wore off fairly quickly - just under three months (and did so the next time I had it). Unfortunately the third time I had it, the person administering it screwed up slightly and I wound up with a partially paralyzed right eyelid. There's nothing sexy about looking like you've had a stroke. Thankfully it was back to normal after three months but since then I've been too scared to go back. Then again, having a three month headache free holiday is really tempting.

Oh yeah, and I got very good at poker. Heh.

As to the mood thing - I seem to recall that I was definitely happier but that could have been down to the lack of headaches.

Yvonne.

I think I want to know something about the personality profiles of the people who get botox injections for cosmetic reasons in the first place. Is it the botox or do they feel "happier" because they feel prettier? It would seem to me that their appearance would be strongly associated with their their perception of their happiness. Also what about the other diagnostic criteria of depression? "Happiness" or, rather "sadness" are NOT the only diagnostic criteria to be met. None of the others are addressed, yet you suggest this as a treatment for the entire disorder when it actually might only address a symptom of a few with certain personality traits in a certain age range. Incredibly superficial. Any "studies" out there on how it would work on a 20 year old? How about other types of cosmetic procedures? At what rate do people feel "happier" after having them? How are you evaluating "happiness"? This was one of the more superficial blogs trying to pass itself off with some sort of legitimacy I have ever read here.

Honestly, this sounds a little strange to me. I would assume that these people feel happier because they see themselves as "prettier". I would hardly venture to say that it is a cure for depression. The extent of depression reaches further than sadness and its display on the human face. I'm surprised that this would be a headline on Psychology Today.

I dont think this would be useful for those with the type of depression that causes a flat affect, because they are (myself included) chronically flat emotionally and in their stone faced expressions; not to say that the subjective experience inside isnt one of desperation and despair becaue that it certainly is!
Perhaps this could be a ajunct therapy to help those with intense emotions develope a flat affect, but why? I feel and look like the walking dead.

Hi,
I understand how it may seem unrealistic to many that Botox in the Glabellar frown lines could ease depression, but I too have had the same effect. At 29, I had spent the majority of my life on some combination of antidepressants. From the age of 15 I have been depressed. I eventually managed to just live with the fact that I was depressive in personality. That being said, as i aged the lines from crying were quite visible and I decided to try Botox as a cosmetic fix. This was in the beginning of February of 2009. A week before valentines day my partner and I split up. I felt sad and a bit teary at first, but over the next couple of days, the feeling became a bit distant and disconnected. Then, I noticed that I was really never in the modd to cry anymore. Whereas before I cried daily, I was now almost unable, and also more importantly, not really sad enough to muster up tears. About 4 months later when the Botox started to wear off, the tears and moods came back. After about the 5th month I was back to being miserable and I went back for more Botox. Again, like magic, a week or so later the depresion lifted. Another 5 months passed, another return of the dreaded crying and misery. This week I went back for my third treatment. It was on Tuesday, and now on Saturday, I am feeling better once again.

Maybe it's a coincidence. I doubt it. I think when you are depressive and you cry and frown, you develop the muscles in your face unevenly and crying becomes habitual.
Anyhow, I won't ever go back to antidepressants. Botox is a less damaging treatment.

It goes back to that simple study in psychology that the more you smile, the more it sends happy signals to your brain. I think the less you frown, the less likely you are to feel those emotions.

I don't think Botox is the cure for depression, but it may help a bit. Botox is the leading cosmetic procedure in the United States. It's not slowing down, especially in this recession. There is something about it that makes people want to go back, and I don't think it's just temporarily eliminating wrinkles.

I completely relate to Yvonne's experience. I have been depressive all of my life. I'm 34 and have tried so many antidepressants it makes me want to weep. I've tried exercise, diet, iron supplements (apparently that's a big one for women), omega 3 oils in high dosages, exhaustive yoga and spent literally thousands of post tax dollars on psychotherapy. All this and last week I noticed DEEP furrows between my eyebrows. I am not a sun worshipper and I have always taken good care of my skin. My forehead literally aches by the end of the day. Psychologists are publishing studies all over the place which have proven the effectiveness of addressing this biofeedback mechanism in which the body affects the emotions and the emotions in turn affect the body. I have an appointment with a dermatologist on Friday and at this point in the game what have I really got to lose?

I'll respond with my experience if anyone wants to hear it.
Cheers

I have also felt relief from a chronic low-grade depression through the use of botox. I am a normal, average professional in my 30s and have never had any other type of cosmetic surgery or procedures. I am healthy and have been complimented for my looks with and without botox. I don't feel the botox drastically changes my appearance, but I noticed an immediate lifting of the depression I've had since childhood due to loss/trauma (non-responsive to meds, mildly responsive to extensive mindfulness and body work) upon the first injections. I wasn't expecting this effect, I was just looking to extend the youthful look of my face for a few years longer.

I recently let the botox wear off a month longer than I had since I began using it 24 months ago. It was the first time I let the glabellar lines fully return. I ended up experiencing significant depression- I didn't get out of bed for 3 days and found myself sobbing and sobbing. I don't think this was a coincidence. I can think of no other changes that would bring on this depressive episode.

I just got injections this morning, and again felt an instant lifting of mood. So I googled depression and botox to see what was out there and found this article. I know that to some this sounds like a ridiculous treatment, but for me botox has drastically improved my mood. In fact, I continue to get it due to it's effects on my mood, not so much on my appearance.

I completely agree with this article. I have had Botox twice and each time I had it i no longer felt the 'flatness of affect' depression/bipolar disorder which has plagued me all my life. Recently the second lot of Botox has just started to wear off and I can now frown again. I have also gone into deep depression again. I cannot muster up the ability to be cheerful though I have absolutely nothing to complain about. My frown lines are definitely not the cause of my depression. The depression is something I can 'hide' from my family as it really just feels like a chemical imbalance.
Instead of being negative about this article and associating Botox with 'paralysis' of the face, readers should be encouraging this treatment. I have taken antidepressants for a year or so but came off them due to weight gain.. now I read this article and suddenly all makes sense! Why shouldn't it work. Plus I defy anyone to be able to tell when someone has just had the Glabellar lines frozen...my face definitely doesn't look frozen. I am 45 and thrilled this exists. Anyone who has the "II" frown lines between the eyes should give it a go.

I completely agree with this article. I have had Botox twice and each time I had it i no longer felt the 'flatness of affect' depression/bipolar disorder which has plagued me all my life. Recently the second lot of Botox has just started to wear off and I can now frown again. I have also gone into deep depression again. I cannot muster up the ability to be cheerful though I have absolutely nothing to complain about. My frown lines are definitely not the cause of my depression. The depression is something I can 'hide' from my family as it really just feels like a chemical imbalance.
Instead of being negative about this article and associating Botox with 'paralysis' of the face, readers should be encouraging this treatment. I have taken antidepressants for a year or so but came off them due to weight gain.. now I read this article and suddenly all makes sense! Why shouldn't it work. Plus I defy anyone to be able to tell when someone has just had the Glabellar lines frozen...my face definitely doesn't look frozen. I am 45 and thrilled this exists. Anyone who has the "II" frown lines between the eyes should give it a go.

I've had Botox twice and depression for 30 years. Both times I felt much better, but frankly attributed it to feeling as if I looked better. Who would think of Botox for depression, especially after trying EVERYTHING else already with the exception of electroshock treatment with no success. Then yesterday a new acquaintance was looking at a photo of me that was taken 9 months ago... and asked if it had been taken 10 years ago. Ouch. It has been a rough year, but I hadn't realized how rough! So I started looking around for a quick fix Botox treatment to jump start being kinder to myself and looking/feeling better. Low and behold I've run across several comments and articles about the depression connection. I will be paying more attention to this possible side effect... and feeling much less guilty about the $300!

I recently had migraine trigger point surgery in Cleveland Ohio. One of the "points" they operated on was my frowning muscles. They clipped them completely. I am totally unable to frown. This was four months ago. I still suffered from depression after the surgery. I then had Lidocaine injections and enjoyed the best three days of my life. I had never been so happy, so upbeat, so optimistic! After the three days I returned to my old self; the worrier, anxiety ridden and depressed. I immediately wanted another round of lidocaine injections! I have been reading online that lidocaine and botox improve mood but it is not yet understood how it actually occurs. Many suggest it's because one looks better thus feels better. I can testify that since my surgery (which was like a mini face lift and brow lift) I haven't the first wrinkle on my face, but the depression is still here. It has to be something else! I'm going in tomorrow for my first round of cranial botox for migraines. Let's pray that it made me feel like the lidocaine did but lasts much longer! I miss it so!

I recently had migraine trigger point surgery in Cleveland Ohio. One of the "points" they operated on was my frowning muscles. They clipped them completely. I am totally unable to frown. This was four months ago. I still suffered from depression after the surgery. I then had Lidocaine injections and enjoyed the best three days of my life. I had never been so happy, so upbeat, so optimistic! After the three days I returned to my old self; the worrier, anxiety ridden and depressed. I immediately wanted another round of lidocaine injections! I have been reading online that lidocaine and botox improve mood but it is not yet understood how it actually occurs. Many suggest it's because one looks better thus feels better. I can testify that since my surgery (which was like a mini face lift and brow lift) I haven't the first wrinkle on my face, but the depression is still here. It has to be something else! I'm going in tomorrow for my first round of cranial botox for migraines. Let's pray that it made me feel like the lidocaine did but lasts much longer! I miss it so!

I recently had migraine trigger point surgery in Cleveland Ohio. One of the "points" they operated on was my frowning muscles. They clipped them completely. I am totally unable to frown. This was four months ago. I still suffered from depression after the surgery. I then had Lidocaine injections and enjoyed the best three days of my life. I had never been so happy, so upbeat, so optimistic! After the three days I returned to my old self; the worrier, anxiety ridden and depressed. I immediately wanted another round of lidocaine injections! I have been reading online that lidocaine and botox improve mood but it is not yet understood how it actually occurs. Many suggest it's because one looks better thus feels better. I can testify that since my surgery (which was like a mini face lift and brow lift) I haven't the first wrinkle on my face, but the depression is still here. It has to be something else! I'm going in tomorrow for my first round of cranial botox for migraines. Let's pray that it made me feel like the lidocaine did but lasts much longer! I miss it so!

I recently had migraine trigger point surgery in Cleveland Ohio. One of the "points" they operated on was my frowning muscles. They clipped them completely. I am totally unable to frown. This was four months ago. I still suffered from depression after the surgery. I then had Lidocaine injections and enjoyed the best three days of my life. I had never been so happy, so upbeat, so optimistic! After the three days I returned to my old self; the worrier, anxiety ridden and depressed. I immediately wanted another round of lidocaine injections! I have been reading online that lidocaine and botox improve mood but it is not yet understood how it actually occurs. Many suggest it's because one looks better thus feels better. I can testify that since my surgery (which was like a mini face lift and brow lift) I haven't the first wrinkle on my face, but the depression is still here. It has to be something else! I'm going in tomorrow for my first round of cranial botox for migraines. Let's pray that it made me feel like the lidocaine did but lasts much longer! I miss it so!

I experienced the same. I remember my first depressive episode at around age 14, and ever since it has been a battle (that I am determined to win). I've been on meds, therapy, meditation, healing, watch my diet and exercise.

I've also had Botox maybe 4 times over the last 5 or 6 years, for purely vain reasons.

After reading a book on mindfulness, I started wondering about the relationship between body and mind, and paying attention to the physical reactions caused by the depressive mood (for me, it's a heaviness in my forehead and eyes, and 'choking up' on the throat, usually followed by crying). I also noticed that these reactions intensified the depressive mood, in a self-feeding cycle.

A few days ago, I have had Botox again after a few years without it (trying to spend my money on nobler things). All of a sudden, I realized that, despite being in the middle of a 6-month long depressive episode, I have stopped crying. And what a relief not feeling that heaviness in my forehead.

Don't get me wrong, I know I am still depressed. I still have no energy, I still have to battle with destructive ruminating negative thoughts, I still wake up feeling like I had 2 hours of sleep instead of 8.

But getting rid of the crying has made me feel a heck of a lot better. Better than when I was on meds, and certainly better than when I was spending thousands of dollars in some therapists' offices.

So, I understand this may sound ludicrous to some people out there. But you know what? If you battle depression, you know there is no magic cure, and you will take whatever you can. I want to function. I have a job I need to keep, I have a marriage I am trying to hold together, I have loving, support family that I want to protect. So, I'm staying on Botox.

It has nothing to do with appearance. If I had to address appearance issue, I have a bevy of things I might change to choose from, and botox injections are the very least of what I would choose. It was just cheap, I was talked into it, and I did it kind of on a fluke. However, I had had a difficult year and had been having trouble moving past it. People kept asking me what was wrong, and I was totally unaware that I had been frowning fairly constantly. Even with nothing bad currently happening it had become an ingrained habit. Now that I'm unable to frown deeply all the time, I feel so much better. It actually did have a good cosmetic affect, but that is totally secondary to me. It might not be for everyone, and it certainly may not be appropriate for all situations, but for me it really was a miracle.

So glad you found something simple and effective that helped during a difficult time. I like to think it helps in many ways. First you are taking steps to take care of yourself which is so important. Next you are making yourself more approachable by removing the frown. Studies have also shown when we smile we feel happier so perhaps that played a role as well. Whatever the mechanism, it's wonderful that you are feeling better and successfully moving past the challenges you have faced.

So glad you found something simple and effective that helped during a difficult time. I like to think it helps in many ways. First you are taking steps to take care of yourself which is so important. Next you are making yourself more approachable by removing the frown. Studies have also shown when we smile we feel happier so perhaps that played a role as well. Whatever the mechanism, it's wonderful that you are feeling better and successfully moving past the challenges you have faced.