Friends frozen out as Botox deadens facial expression

It may get rid of your wrinkles — but cost you your friends. Women who use Botox are sending the wrong social signals because their frozen facial muscles make it difficult for them to express the normal range of emotions. A new study suggests that Botox users struggle to frown, look angry or sad and may even be unable to show empathy — for example, when told about a family death.

Scientists warn that the anti-wrinkle treatment could turn into a modern social hazard, capable of damaging relationships. David Havas, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who led the study, says his research proves Charles Darwin’s theory that facial expression is an important factor in producing emotion in the brain.



The findings, to be published in the journal Psychological Science, monitored the speed at which 40 volunteers processed written statements with an emotional message before and after receiving Botox injections. After the injections, which deaden the corrugator (frown) muscles, the volunteers took significantly longer to grasp and react to negative concepts such as being ignored on their birthday or being interrupted during dinner by a telesales call.

“Blocking facial expression diminishes the experience of emotion,” said Havas. “Our faces are normally alive with activity, which contributes to our understanding of each other, and there is a strong link between our facial expression and our ability to comprehend the meaning of language. If people seem slow in reacting to what they are being told, it is likely to be interpreted as a lack of sympathy or interest.”