Botox and the Power to Challenge Frowns

Botox is quite possibly the most famous nonsurgical treatment in the world right now. There are different products that offer similar—if subtly different—results, so there may be more than one way to achieve your desired look. But it’s likely that if you were to engage a random person on the street in a conversation about Botox, that stranger would at least know what you’re talking about. So it’s not surprising that strong name recognition and great results combine to make Botox quite popular—and that popularity has led to some very interesting research that may help an entirely new group of people.

A New Audience

Millions of people in the United States suffer from depression. Because clinical depression is most often caused by an innate or triggered chemical imbalance in the brain, the typical prescription for depression is a kind of chemical counter-attack, either bolstering certain “happy” chemicals (such as serotonin) or suppressing the molecules that interfere with those happy chemicals. That’s what we know as antidepressant drugs.

Fewer Wrinkles, Less Depression

So what does that have to do with Botox? This past June, Professor Tillman Kruger and M. Axel Wollmer presented preliminary findings at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2014 Annual Meet. The researchers from the Asklepios Clinic North Ochsenzoll in Hamburg, Germany, reported the findings of an experiment in which they gave patients suffering from depression one injection of Botox. The results were pretty spectacular. Of the 30 subjects who were enrolled in the study, the 15 who received the placebo saw a roughly 9% decrease in the severity of their depression. But the 15 who received actual Botox saw a 47% decrease in the severity of their depression.

Fake it Till You Make it

The researchers who presented the study point to an intuitive reason why Botox might have such a significant effect: we emote through our face. It’s like that age-old nugget of wisdom that tells that smiling will actually make us feel happier. When we’re unhappy, the face sends unhappy signals back to our brain, triggering (especially in those suffering from depression) a kind of feedback loop. To simplify, when you get sad, your brain tells your face to frown. The frown sends certain signals back to the brain, telling your brain to be sad. It creates a vicious cycle. The Botox, the researchers suggest, interrupts that feedback loop, as it literally paralyzes some of the muscles responsible for frowning.

The results of this research have been confirmed in additional trials, and it seems like it may provide a viable therapy from those suffering from major depression in the future. It’s worth noting that the patients in the study were suffering from treatment-resistant and chronic depression—obviously, the hardest type of depression to develop any kind of effective therapy for. So the value of this treatment is difficult to understate, especially as Botox is being tested for effectiveness in combating other psychiatric conditions.

Botox and Happiness

Of course, you don’t need to suffer from depression to indulge in Botox. The clinical study above got its start because traditional Botox patients who were targeting their frown lines reported an increase in happiness afterward. The researchers got the idea that maybe it wasn’t just the great feeling of a more youthful looking face at work.

One thing Botox does quite well is assist you in achieving a more youthful looking face. Botox patients who come to Carillon Clinic from all over Minnesota know that they can count on treatments that are accurately targeted for maximum effect and excellent, friendly care throughout the entire procedure. Carillon Clinic, Ltd. Is in the top 2% of Botox practices worldwide. Our focus is your transformation and Botox is a great way to accomplish that—whether it’s a physical transformation or, apparently, a mental transformation.

What we know from our own experience is that our patients leave feeling good. So it’s not surprising that something as simple as a feeling can lead to a more profound transformation. Because that’s what cosmetic procedures are about: transformation for the sake of happiness. The Minneapolis Botox patients who leave Carillon Clinic know that’s a mission we take seriously—with great results. If you’re curious about what Botox can do for you, contact us today.