References

All Party Parliamentary Group for Beauty and Welling. Inquiry into the value of complimentary therapies. 2023. https://tinyurl.com/53zeafra (accessed 23 January 2023)

Psychosocial pathways and health outcomes. 2017. https://tinyurl.com/yxkh8uut (accessed 23 January 2023)

Costa ACF, Silva ECD, Gondim DV. Botulinum toxin in facial aesthetics affects the emotion process: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2022; 20:(4)600-608 https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2022.20.4.600

Cuijpers P, Noma H, Karyotaki E A network meta-analysis of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapies and their combination in the treatment of adult depression. World Psychiatry. 2020; 19:(1)92-107 https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20701

Department of Health and Social Care. Call for evidence for new 10-year plan to improve mental health. 2022. https://tinyurl.com/2p97hayu (accessed 23 January 2023)

Dressler D, Adib Saberi F. Botulinum toxin: mechanisms of action. Eur Neurol. 2005; 53:(1)3-9 https://doi.org/10.1159/000083259

Ekman P. Darwin's contributions to our understanding of emotional expressions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2009; 364:(1535)3449-3451 https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0189

Finzi E, Rosenthal NE. Treatment of depression with onabotulinumtoxinA: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res. 2014; 52:1-6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.11.006

Finzi E, Wasserman E. Treatment of depression with botulinum toxin A: a case series. Dermatol Surg. 2006; 32:(5)645-649 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32136.x

Hexsel D, Brum C, Siega C Evaluation of self-esteem and depression symptoms in depressed and nondepressed subjects treated with onabotulinumtoxinA for glabella lines. Dermatol Surg. 2013; 39:(7)1088-1096 https://doi.org/10.1111/dsu.12175

Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP). What constitutes a medical, medically related or cosmetic procedure. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/bdupacc4 (accessed 23 January 2023)

Kim MJ, Neta M, Davis FC Botulinum toxin-induced facial muscle paralysis affects amygdala responses to the perception of emotional expressions: preliminary findings from an A-B-A design. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord. 2014; 4 https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-5380-4-11

Kruger THC, Schulze J, Bechinie A Neuronal effects of glabella botulinum toxin injections using a valenced inhibition task in borderline personality disorder. Sci Rep. 2022; 12 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17509-0

Lewis MB. The interactions between botulinum-toxin-based facial treatments and embodied emotions. Sci Rep. 2018; 8 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-33119-1

Li GF, Ban S, Wang M Brain functional changes in patients with botulism after illegal cosmetic injections of botulinum toxin: a resting-state fMRI study. PLoS One. 2018; 13:(11) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207448

Lozano R, Naghavi M, Foreman K Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden Of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012; 380:(9859)2095-2128 https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(12)61728-0

Magid M, Reichenberg JS, Poth PE Treatment of major depressive disorder using botulinum toxin A: a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2014; 75:(8)837-844 https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.13m08845

Makunts T, Wollmer MA, Abagyan R. Postmarketing safety surveillance data reveals antidepressant effects of botulinum toxin across various indications and injection sites. Sci Rep. 2020; 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-69773-7

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Yellow Card. 2023. https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ (accessed 23 January 2023)

Mind. Mental health problems – an introduction. 2023. https://tinyurl.com/yc43amab (accessed 23 January 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical guidance: common mental health problems, identification and pathways to care. 2011. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg123 (accessed 23 January 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical guidance: depression diagnosis. 2022. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/depression/#!topicSummary (accessed 23 January 2023)

Social Care institute for Excellence. SCIE introduction to adult mental health services. 2012. https://tinyurl.com/uhyem8fw (accessed 23 January 2023)

Strack F, Martin LL, Stepper S. Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: a non obtrusive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. J Personality Soc Psychol. 1988; 54:(5)768-777 https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.5.768

University College London. New national survey looking at individual patient experiences of botulinum toxin complications now launched. 2023. https://tinyurl.com/2k2vttxx (accessed 23 January 2023)

Vos T, Barber RM, Bell B Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet. 2013; 386:(9995)743-800 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60692-4

Weber A, Heger S, Sinkgraven R Psychosocial aspects of patients with focal hyperhidrosis. Marked reduction of social phobia, anxiety and depression and increased quality of life after treatment with botulinum toxin A. Br J Dermatol. 2005; 152:(2)342-345 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06334.x

Whiteford HA, Degenhardt L, Rehm J Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2013; 382:(9904)1575-1586 https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(13)61611-6

Wollmer MA, de Boer C, Kalak N Facing depression with botulinum toxin: a randomized controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res. 2012; 574-581 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.01.027

Wollmer MA, Makunts T, Krüger THC Postmarketing safety surveillance data reveals protective effects of botulinum toxin injections against incident anxiety. Sci Rep. 2021; 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03713-x

Strengthening mental health promotion.Geneva: World Health Organization; 2001

Zamanian A, Ghanbari Jolfaei A, Mehran G, Azizian Z. Efficacy of botox versus placebo for treatment of patients with major depression. Iran J Public Health. 2017; 46:(7)982-984

Can medical aesthetic treatments improve mental health?

02 February 2023
Volume 12 · Issue 1

There is an emerging use of onabotulinum A (botulinum toxin A) in research that could propose an alternative, conjunctive or complementary treatment beyond first-line interventions for self-esteem and mental health (Kruger et al, 2022; Wollmer, 2012; Finzi et al, 2006). While current treatments for compromised mental health largely include psychosocial talking therapies, psychiatric medication or a combination of both (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2011; Mind, 2023; Social Care Institue for Excellence (SCIE), 2012). Unfortunately, such treatments are not without negative side-effects (Cuijpers et al, 2020; Department of Health and Social Care, 2022; NICE, 2022). Treatment uptake also reveals many barriers to engagement that can even exacerbate inequalities (Bell, 2017). It is therefore imperative to consider opportunities to enhance understanding of complementary therapies, including the potential use of aesthetic medicine, their potential impact on the UK's economy and society, and how this might play a role in supporting the nation's health in order to take pressure off the NHS which is considered in the latest report of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty and Wellbeing (APPGBW, 2023).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Journal of Aesthetic Nurses and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for aesthetic nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month