When you picture a Botox patient, you may picture a middle-aged woman who is keen on eliminating the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Or you may think of a man who is less than pleased with the deep lines in his brow. One person you probably don't picture is a hotshot poker player, but is "pokertox" the next big trend in this cosmetic medicine?
According to the New York Post, poker players may be drawn to the procedure because it numbs the muscles that help form expressions, making it easier to make a believable "poker face." A doctor in the city is using the term "pokertox" to help draw in these customers.
"Very few people can maintain a real poker face," the doctor told the news source. "They have some 'tells,' some expression that gives away that they have a good hand or a bad hand."
When patients come to see the doctor for their "pokertox" injections, he reviews what sort of "tells" they are worried about. For instance, if a player says that he raises his eyebrows when he receives a good card, the doctor many say that Botox injections in the brow are best.
If this sounds a bit farfetched to you, you're not alone. The primary purpose of Botox, when used for cosmetic reasons, is not to eliminate one's ability to make facial expressions.
According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, neuromuscular toxins like Botox do weaken or paralyze muscles in the face, but this is to stop them from creating wrinkles, not to block facial expressions. Most Botox patients will find that their ability to convey emotions through their face is largely unaffected by the procedure.
Copyright © 2024 HW, LLC d/b/a EmpowHER Media unless otherwise noted. EmpowHER does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
