People are turning to Botox for everything from sweat inhibition to migraine relief, and now a new study suggests that it may also be useful in treating depression. The research, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, was conducted by a team at Georgetown University.

How was the study performed?

They assembled 74 patients with major depression and gave half Botox injections and half saline placebo injections. Six weeks later, 52 percent of the Botox subjects reported significant improvement in depression, compared to 15 percent of the placebo group. Other recent studies have reported similar results.

Some physicians believe that Botox may help manage symptoms of depression by inhibiting the muscles used to frown. This may, they theorize, send a message to the brain that the person’s emotional state has improved, creating a feedback loop that results in a better mood. An article in The New York Times suggests that the method is similar to the “outside-in” approach of light therapy, used to treat seasonal affective disorder.

What the patients say

West Palm Beach, Florida, resident Melissa Peverini recently told local TV news outlet WPBF that she believes Botox has significantly helped her depression.

“I was just waking up every day, looking tired, feeling tired … and I had this dark cloud over my head,” she tells the source. So she decided to invest in Botox. “I know it takes 4 to 7 days to kick in, but immediately, I just felt happy. Like I did something to improve my look so maybe it’s that look better, feel better.”

While more research needs to be done to determine conclusively whether Botox alleviates depression, there is no doubt that investing in looking and feeling your best is always a good idea. Remember that you should only trust your looks and health to a board-certified cosmetic surgeon like Dwayne Lett, M.D. If you are interested in learning more about Botox in Nashville, contact The Lett Center today!