Do cosmetic injections make a mother lose her feelings for her child?

Recent years have witnessed a significant increase in the demand for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as Botox and filler injections, which are marketed as quick solutions to restore freshness and youth. But behind these aesthetic promises, disturbing scientific questions began to appear, most notably: Can these interventions weaken the emotional connection between the mother and her child?

Psychology studies indicate that facial expressions are not just a reflection of feelings, but rather play an active role in forming and enhancing them. Smiling, for example, not only reflects joy, but generates it, while frequent frowning feeds negative feelings. This phenomenon is known as the “Facial Feedback Hypothesis,” which posits that the face not only expresses emotion, but participates in creating it.
In this context, the mother’s face acquires special importance, as it represents the child’s first window of communication with the world. The emotional interaction between a mother and her infant is based on facial features and subtle movements that convey tenderness, reassurance, and sometimes anger.

But when substances such as Botox – which temporarily paralyzes facial muscles to reduce wrinkles – or fillers, which fill in gaps and change the dynamics of expressions, intervene, the ability to express declines. The face gradually turns into a “beautiful mask,” but it is lifeless.
A study published in 2018 in the journal (PubMed) confirmed that women who underwent repeated injections lost a large portion of the muscle movements responsible for negative expressions such as frowning or anger, which was reflected in their ability to express feelings clearly.
The matter does not stop at the cosmetic aspect, as other research indicates that Botox impairs the ability to empathize. Emotional communication with others, according to neuroscience, depends on a person’s ability to imitate the expressions of those in front of him. As the facial muscles freeze, mothers lose this natural ability, and their awareness of their children’s emotions declines.

A famous experiment known as the “Still Face Experiment,” conducted by scientist Edward Tronick in the 1970s, clearly embodied this concept: When the researcher asked a mother to keep her face expressionless while interacting with her infant for a few minutes, the baby began crying and trying to beg for interaction from her. This showed that emotional response through facial features is essential for a child’s sense of security and belonging.

Therefore, the mother’s frozen face or limited expressions due to cosmetic surgery may expose her child to a similar experience, which weakens emotional communication and affects his psychological and social development.
It is true that Botox and filler injections are safe and quick in most cases, but experts warn against overusing them, especially for mothers during the first years of their children’s lives, when the face is the first language of love and communication.
In the end, the question remains:
Is a tight, wrinkle-free face worth the risk of losing the truest feelings of motherhood?