Is Botox the Right Choice for Treating Depression?

It is obvious that Botox is used to remove frown lines in your forehead and around your eyes. The injected treatment has been used for more than 30 years to remove wrinkles safely and effectively. It has even been used to help patients treat paralyzed and spasming facial muscles. Botox is probably the treatment most commonly used by your Des Moines plastic surgeon.

In recent years, the study of Botox has lead to many interesting discoveries. Since the FDA announced that Botox could treat chronic headaches in 2010, the chemical has been used for that purpose more than any other.

But, can it actually make you happier?

Recent research is suggesting that it can. The study tested whether or not Botox would be able to effectively “improve the lives of individuals with many types of depression.” This was achieved by studying the relationship between the expression on a person’s face and the feelings that create those expressions.

The study revealed a conundrum similar to the chicken-and-the-egg. It discovered that the brain participates in a loop of feedback between the muscles of the face and the anxious and hopeless feelings that characterize depression. When you are sad, you frown. That makes you more sad and you frown more. Alternatively, it could be said that you are initially sad because you frown.

By interrupting this loop with muscle paralyzing injections, patients report being genuinely happier after a short period of time. In fact, the participants in the study reported that they felt their depression symptoms reduce by almost 50 percent. By the end of the study, those numbers had continued to climb.

Clearly this means a lot to the best plastic surgery Des Moines Iowa has to offer. One implication is that “emotional improvements” no longer have to be simply a sideaffect of looking better. There is now scientific proof that shows Botox really does treat depression symptoms with great success.

Just remember, being sad does not necessarily mean you are depressed. On the same token, feeling depressed does not mean Botox should be your first course of action. Schedule a consultation with your Des Moines plastic surgeon and your primary care physician to see what options are available for you.

If your medical team believes botox would be a good treatment option for you, schedule an appointment with the most experienced Des Moines plastic surgeon. Dr. Franks will make sure all your needs are met safely. For more information about the plastic surgery Des Moines Iowa trusts most, contact 515.421.4299.