Why Botox jabs could leave you emotionally uptight

Botox users have long been mocked for their inability to show emotion on their partially paralysed faces.

But new research suggests the anti-wrinkle jabs could also affect women’s ability to experience feelings in the first place.

In a study, those given the toxin injections experienced significantly less reaction to emotionally charged films than those who had not had the treatment.

The research reinforces the psychological theory that facial expressions can affect your mood, as well as being an indicator of it – so, for example, not being able to smile means you do not feel as happy.

Used by celebrities such as Amanda Holden, Kylie Minogue and Katie Price, Botox is one of the fastest-growing cosmetic treatments, with British women receiving up to 500,000 injections of the botulinum toxin every year.

The £200 jab effectively ‘freezes’ the facial muscles around wrinkles, smoothing the skin but inhibiting facial expressions.

For the research, 68 women were divided into two groups. Half were given Botox injections and half Restylane, a cosmetic filler that does not affect facial muscles. The women did not know which treatment they had received.

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