Not smoothing out your wrinkles might be the answer to a smooth relationship.
New research published in the journal Scientific Reports found that Botox injections can ruin a relationship — as it makes it harder to recognize emotions.
Scientists have previously warned that Botox can affect the way people’s brains respond to faces, making it hard to read what an expression is trying to say.
Well, turns out this could also be bad news for both devoted couples — and singles seeking hot-and-heavy sexual hookups.
“Normally, when we see expressions, we unconsciously mimic them to help us recognize them,” lead study author Dr. Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos, of the University of South Australia, told South West News Service. “So, you might not be able to experience someone else’s emotions as intensely or vividly as you would like to” after the wrinkle-crippling effects of the popular beauty injectable.
Botox is most commonly used to reduce frown lines, crow’s feet near the eyes, and forehead creases and wrinkles — but it can be used for medical purposes as well, treating musical conditions such as migraines, neck spasms, lazy eyes, sweating and overactive bladders.
Researchers looked at the brains of 10 women in between the ages of 33 and 40 both before they got Botox injections and again two to three weeks later.
Volunteers were unable to frown or smile with their Botoxed faces, according to New Scientist.
During an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), the scientists analyzed photos of angry and happy expression mixed in with neutral faces.
After the Botox injections, participants’ brain activity changed in two areas: the amygdala when looking at angry and happy faces, and the fusiform gyrus when looking at happy faces.
When a person’s facial muscles mimic the other person’s expressions, it sends signals to areas of the brain that interpret emotions, such as the amygdala and fusiform gyrus.
But since Botox works by paralyzing muscles and restricting movement, communication of the signals between the facial muscles and the brain could be interrupted.
Hence, less passionate responses to human — and possibly romantic or sexual — interactions, Marmolejo-Ramos explained.
It was discovered that Botox slows down the “facial feedback hypothesis,” which allows people to intuitively mirror another person’s facial expressions to identify and experience the same emotions.
It’s estimated that 11 million people worldwide use Botox, making it one of the most common non-surgical cosmetic procedures, according to UCSF Health.
In 2020 — the year with the most recent data — the US recorded 4,401,536 Botulinum Toxin Type A procedures, which includes Botox and similar products, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The results add to the evidence that Botox injected into the forehead alters brain activity and affects emotional and physical processing.
Previous research has shown that Botox injections may help lessen depression and help men conquer erectile dysfunction.