Botox May Dampen Emotions

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A recent article in Forbes cited a study in the journal Social Psychology and Personality Science that found that Botox may not only numb facial muscles, but also numb users perceptions of other people’s emotions.

Researchers concluded that “if muscular signals from the face to the brain are dampened, you’re less able to read emotions.” Researchers compared the effects of Botox with a gel that amplifies facial signals. They found that when the facial muscles are dampened, you get worse in emotion perception, and when when facial muscles are amplified, you get better at emotion perception.

Logic to me would seem to indicate that if your face is numb and therefore somewhat emotionless it would be hard for others to read your emotions. Seems that research is indicating the opposite.

The real test would seem to be whether facial expressions and the sensory feedback from them can influence emotions.

And what do you think of the San Francisco mother who injected her beauty pageant daughter with Botox? Seems Botox or not the mother has no emotions whatsoever.

For my money anything you have to inject yourself with to promote so called beauty runs the risk of side effects, whether losing emotional potential or looking like Burt Reynolds.