Psychosocial impact of aesthetic neuromodulator injections: insights from a longitudinal study in Brazilian population

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of neuromodulator treatment on the psychosocial well-being of Brazilian women using the FACE-Q assessment tool. Material and Methods: The sample included women seeking facial aesthetic treatment with neuromodulators. Participants completed four questionnaires from the Health-Related Quality of Life domain of FACE-Q at two time points: before treatment (T0, baseline) and 14 days after application (T1). The assessed domains included Aging Appraisal, Appearance Distress, Psychological Well-Being, and Social Well-Being. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Shapiro-Wilk test, paired Student’s t-test, and Wilcoxon test, with a significance level set at 5% (p <0.05). Results: A total of 53 participants were included, with the most common age being 46–60 years (43.4%). A total of 84.9% were currently employed, and the most frequent monthly income range was between R$ 5,000-10,000 (34.0%). Psychological and social wellbeing improved significantly after treatment (p <0.001). Notably, the following individual items showed significant increases: I accept myself as I am (p = 0.011); I feel good about myself (p = 0.046); I feel confident (p = 0.012); I feel attractive (p = 0.023), I feel confident when meeting someone new (p = 0.012); I feel confident when participating in group situations (p = 0.035). A significant positive correlation was found between age and both psychological (p = 0.039) and social well-being (p = 0.022). Additionally, higher education levels and income were associated with greater social well-being (p <0.05). Conclusion: Facial treatment with neuromodulators has a positive impact on the psychological and social well-being of Brazilian women, particularly in areas related to self-confidence and interpersonal comfort.

KEYWORDS Facial aesthetic procedures; Neuromodulators; Psychological well-being; Satisfaction level; Social well-being.