frown lines

Why Frowning is Bad for Your Skin (And Your Health!)

Were you ever told to “quit making that face or it’ll get stuck that way”? Turns out, there’s some modicum of truth to that, at least when it comes to frowning (but don’t worry, it’s less literal than our parents wanted us to believe as children).

Expression lines are one of the biggest complaints when it comes to aging skin. In fact, Botox was developed to treat expression lines and only expression lines (read more on how Botox works). Repeated facial movements have the potential over time to create permanent wrinkles. This happens due to the muscle contractions under the skin that make it so you can furrow your brow, scowl, squint, and so on. When the muscles contract, the skin wrinkles, and more contractions strengthen the muscles, leading to deeper and more permanent wrinkles. This feedback loop continues unless you take action to prevent it. For some people, that may mean getting glasses so they stop squinting, and for others it may mean seeking out a myorelaxant.

A myorelaxant is anything that prevents muscle contractions, so this includes Botox, but it also includes serums with particular peptides, such as Bratoxinsta. Relaxing the facial muscles with these treatments will prevent you from unconsciously frowning, which in turn improves the appearance of expression lines.

Making your skin look younger may not be the only benefit that comes with myorelaxants. Botox is sometimes used as a treatment for depression, since expressions may affect people psychologically. Studies find that smiling alone can improve your mood, and stopping yourself from frowning may have a positive impact. More than half of the people who underwent a clinical study to see if Botox could help treat the symptoms of depression reported that their moods had improved. The researchers posited that the improvements in mood were partly due to how others responded to participants’ relaxed faces. When someone frowns or looks negative, others respond in kind, creating a negative feedback loop.

So why frown when you could be smiling and reaping the health and anti-aging benefits? See how topical serums like Bratoxin and Bratoxinsta can help you turn that frown upside down (and erase wrinkles along the way).