It Helps You Look Younger And Beats the Blues (One Way or Another)
I’m not one to give away my secrets, but I will say that Botox, when injected by a knowledgeable, experienced, board-certified doctor goes a long way towards making one look refreshed, relaxed and, yeah, younger. Now, a new study says that Botox Cosmetic® might have an unexpected benefit … it might help lessen feelings of anger and sadness. Hm, Botox for depression? Who knew?
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin evaluated 40 first-time Botox users before and two weeks after treatment and asked them to respond to statements designed to make them feel happy, sad or angry. After Botox, participants were slower to respond to statements designed to make them feel angry or sad. Scientists attribute this to the Facial Feedback Hypothesis, a psychological term that states that our physical expressions have a direct affect on our mood.
Not buying the hypothesis? Well, the next time you have an event to attend that you’re dreading, “put on a happy face” and see how you feel. In most cases, your mood will lift in conjunction with the corners of your mouth.
So then, is Botox the next new anti-depressant?
I posed the question to Botox Doc Extraordinaire, Dr. Jack Berdy. Dr. Berdy is the owner and Medical Director of SmoothMED, a walk-in clinic nestled on 59th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues in New York City. SmoothMED specializes exclusively in age-reducing and beauty-enhancing procedures such as Botox and its relatively-new-to-the-market-competitor, Dysport and facial fillers including Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane.
Here’s what Dr. Berdy has to say: “I haven’t read the study methodology but I do believe that Botox has the ability to change mood. Your mood is determined by your interactions with other people. If people think you’re angry because of a furrow you have between your eyebrows, or you look like you’re frowning, they’ll treat you a certain way. They may avoid you if you look angry; they may be sympathetic if you look sad. If Botox is done well, they won’t know you’ve had it, but they may say you look rested or relaxed. Additionally, people won’t be put off because you don’t look angry anymore.“
“I don’t believe that Botox causes any chemical change in mood. But how others perceive us is our mirror on the wall. [After Botox] you’re more pleased with your reflection and the response from other people.”
If you’re ready to change your mood by tweaking your expression, what should you look for when deciding which doctor to choose? Says Dr. Berdy, “If you’re going to get a procedure done, you want the guy who does more of them than anybody else. Unless somebody is doing a lot of Botox business, you may be getting Botox that’s not fresh and loses potency and efficacy.”
So maybe Botox won’t be classified as the next anti-depressant any time soon. But, says Dr. Berdy, “I think Botox is a great thing. There are few things in medicine you can do that has virtually no side effects and where you can see a real end result in a matter of days.”
There’s little question that, when administered correctly and judiciously, Botox can lift your mood by helping you like not only your reflection in the mirror, but also your reflection in the eyes of other people.
For a consultation, or to avail yourself of SmoothMED’s services, contact:
Dr. Jack Berdy, Board Certified MD
111 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022
212-371-7666
