Botox and First-Impressions

Making a better first impression is an important asset for people who interact with others for a living. A recent study suggests that treatment with Botox may increase your odds of making a favorable impression.

In a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy  of Otolaryngology, researchers wanted to learn whether use of Botox would effect the scores a person obtained on a variety of tests used to measure first-impressions.
The study participants were photographed before and after Botox injections, and their photos were randomly placed in to different books, with each subject appearing only once in each book. Blinded evaluators rated their first impression for each photo in the book.
Those who had received Botox were rated higher on attractiveness, dating success and athletic success. The Botox did not influence the ratings of social or financial skills, or relationship success. Assuming these results are correct, a small investment in Botox could have a big pay off. We alresdy know that attractive people are more likely to be hired than unattractive people with identical qualifications. The book, "Survival of the Prettiest" by Nancy Etcoff goes into this area in great detail.

Gerald N. Bock MD
California Skin & Laser Center
Stockton & Lodi, CA