Can Botox Cure Depression?

Thousands of people worldwide suffer from clinical depression. There are countless of treatment options in having depression managed but one of the latest studies emerged that a new cure for depression cannot only make the individual feel better but it makes the person look younger as well.

Jason S. Reichenberg, MD, the director of dermatology at the University of Texas-Austin, co-authored a study where it was mentioned that there is a correlation between having a Botox and depression. Although Botox is originally used for aesthetics, as it makes the individual look younger, the studies reveal that Botox makes a depressed individual feel good.

"One of the theories about Botox treating depression is that it doesn't make you smile, but it stops you from frowning," Reichenberg told Yahoo Beauty. "It's kind of along the lines of smiling if you're not happy to boost your mood. Some of the patients in our studies didn't like the way they looked with Botox but were likely to see their depression get better."

Daily Times mentioned that the researchers came into conclusion that major depression scored drastically decreased by 42 percent for patients who went through Botox, compared to 15 percent of the participants who received placebo for the study. Reichenberg also pointed out that Botox is as good as an anti-depressant in terms of treating depression.

National Institute of Mental Health noted that 6.7 percent of all Americans over 18 are suffering from depression and rates are doubled in women compared to men. Further studies need to be done in terms of having Botox as a cure for depression as it was not yet approved. Though it may seem unconventional to use Botox as a treatment for depression, experts reveal that it can possibly pave way for an additional cure for the mental health concern.

"It's very exciting to have another possible tool," Reichenberg said. "But I don't think it'll replace antidepressants. I think it means we need to start thinking outside the box."

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