What about BOTOX ?

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an illness that affects more than 350 million people worldwide. MDD is also the leading cause of disability internationally. A significant proportion of patients do not sufficiently improve with medication management and psychotherapy. Unfortunately, these treatment resistant patients are then left with fewer therapeutic options. Such individuals are often simply unable to function in everyday life situations which increase the risk of suicide among them. In addition, troubling side effects, such as gastrointestinal disturbances or loss of libido, may be experienced with existing antidepressants. Thus, there has been a continual search for effective new, alternative treatment strategies for this serious health problem.

How does Botox work?

There is a body of evidence that suggests that the facial musculature not only expresses, but also regulates mood states.

Negative emotions, like anger, fear, and sadness that are prevalent in depression are associated with activation of the corrugators and procerus muscles in the glabellar region (frown lines) of the face. In patients with depressive disorders, facial electromyography reveals a relative over activity of the corrugator muscles during different affective imagery paradigms. Injection of botulinum toxin (Botox) to the glabellar region inhibits the activity of the corrugator and procerus muscles producing a relative change in facial expression from angry, sad, and fearful to happy and can impact on emotional experience.

A single treatment of the glabellar region with botulinum toxin accomplishes a strong and sustained alleviation of depression in patients, who do not improve sufficiently on previous medication.

Patients have reported an increase in emotional wellbeing beyond the cosmetic benefit, specifically, in reducing levels of fear and sadness.

What makes Botox a favorable treatment of choice?

• The treatment of Major Depressive Disorder using BTA (Botulinum Toxin A) is safe and effective and decreases both direct costs (e.g., medications, doctors’ visits) and indirect costs (loss of work productivity) of this disease.
• In some cases, the treatment may be a less expensive intervention than psychotherapy or medications
  Given that a third of patients show some form of treatment resistance to antidepressants, this alternative treatment may be a viable option.
• The long-running effect of a single dose circumvents problems associated with poor therapy adherence, which is a critical issue in the treatment of depressed patients.
• The safety and tolerability record of botulinum toxin injections to the glabellar region is excellent.

Are there any side effects / adverse of this treatment?

Apart from local irritation immediately after injection, short episodes of headache during the first weeks are the only relevant and possibly treatment-related adverse effects. Most patients do not even experience these and tolerate the effects very comfortably.

How long is the course of treatment?

It is a single session treatment where a set of 5 injections are given at pre determined points of the glabellar region.

What is the cost of the treatment ?

Cost details are available upon request. Kindly contact the clinic / reception for the same.