Botox … A New Form of Self-Care?

So… it’s 2021 and you may be hearing about the growing trend of Botox, also known as cosmetic injectables.  While you might not know all the details about this “wonder drug” that some women swear by for reducing wrinkles and fine lines, you have at least heard of it. For those of you who are hesitant but curious about this growing trend, listen to this… Botox could be the new form of self-care.  Before we go into more detail about the surprising benefits of Botox and other cosmetic injectables, let’s quickly learn a little more about how this medical aesthetics treatment works.

What is Botox?

Botox is a drug made from a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum called botulinum toxin.  Other cosmetic injections are often called by their brand names, such as Dysport®, Xeomin® or Jeuveau™.  These injections are used to temporarily prevent a muscle or a small group of muscles from moving by blocking certain chemical signals to nerves that cause the muscles to contract.  The most common use is to relax the muscles around the eyes and face, preventing or reducing \wrinkles.  The number of injections just depends on the area and the desired results of the patient.  The doctor or registered professional will administer the treatment and decide how many is needed in order to achieve the desired result.  Most of the time the injections are quite painless, and if numbing is needed, done with a local anesthetic cream.   The injection usually takes a couple of days to work completely and the results can last at least three months or longer. Most doctors will recommend that you not rub the treated area for 24 hours in order to prevent the spreading of the injectable to different areas. Other than that, you do not have to postpone any activities and can continue your normal daily routine. Now onto what you really came here for… How can Botox/ Cosmetic Injectables be considered self-care?

Botox for Face and Mind?

Injecting Botox might sound like it is only about your physical appearance, but, here’s where it’s really exciting…..there are proven positive psychological effects from Botox/ cosmetic injectables as well!

Studies have shown that Botox actually has an effect on the brain.  Basically, when your face stops frowning, your brain gets the message that there is less to frown about.  The Facial Feedback hypothesis states that “the contractions of the facial muscles may not only communicate what a person feels to others but also to the person him- or herself.” Charles Darwin said that expressing an emotion only intensifies it so… if you look mad, sad or angry, even if you aren’t feeling those emotions, it could subconsciously have an effect on your mood.  Researchers believe that the reduction of frown lines and crow’s feet can break the mental association we have with negative emotions and those facial expressions.  So.. in a way, looking happier can make you feel happier.  Bonus, if you’re not a huge fan of taking pills every day, Botox and Cosmetic Injectables could be an alternative to daily medications.  In recent years, Botox and cosmetic injectables have also been shown to help with migraines by blocking neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from your brain to the nerve endings around your neck and head.  It can also help with acne, minimizing blemishes by paralyzing acetylcholine, which is released by nerves into the muscle, creating acne.  

Botox at Body, Health & Mind

So, the next time you are considering adding something new into your self-care routine, maybe consider Botox or cosmetic injectables.  The state of your face can and will play a huge part in changing your state of mind. The idea that Botox or cosmetic injectables could have such a profound effect on your mood and life might seem absolutely absurd, but weren’t most scientific discoveries considered crazy before they proved to be life-changing?  

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