Can botox and hyaluronic acid fillers really improve a patient's psychological well-being?

Patient satisfaction after any medical or surgical procedure is an important outcome of hospital care. This study aims to look into whether Botox and filler treatments can improve quality of life. So far, these treatments have been praised for being safer and quicker alternatives to surgery, but they have not been commended as to how well they can improve a patient's confidence and psychological well being. Patients who had received facial injections of Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers were retrospectively interviewed regarding their treatment satisfaction. Patients also reported on their cosmetic outcomes to include any psychological impact. Fifty cases were assessed over five years with the major subjective outcome measure being patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a ten-point questionnaire. Post-operative complications were also assessed such as unexpected facial weakness, swelling or bruising. Generally, patient satisfaction levels were high (96.6%) with the main area of dissatisfaction being whether patients felt they looked younger as a result of the treatment and insufficient post-operative advice. However, this was only reported in two cases (4%) and correlated with some unexpected swelling and bruising in the area which resolved within 48 hours. The factors associated with dissatisfaction are very much preventable. Improvements would involve pre and postoperative clinical photography and also using a hospital based assessment of psychological well being. A number of interviewees were concerned about the cosmetic setback just as much as the functional one.