Glabella – Wacky Word Wednesday

Unwrinkle those brows and relax your facial muscles for today’s Wacky Word Wednesday, a weekly celebration of the wackiest and most interesting words from around the world!

The definition of today’s wacky word from TermWiki.com:

gla·bel·la [gluh–bel–uh] -noun the area between the eyebrows and above the bridge of the nose

Glabella comes from the Latin word glabellus, which means smooth and hairless, and glaber, meaning bald, due to the lack of hair that is usually found in this area.

It doesn’t seem like an extraordinary anatomical feature, but the glabella was actually the focus of much attention and money not too long ago. And to some extent,  it still is. Most people who know the glabella will also refer to it by one of its nicknames: the “eleven” or the “W”.  These nicknames originate from the glabella‘s susceptibility to producing vertical wrinkles as people age and their skin begins to reveal the effects of its elasticity. These wrinkles can result simply from repeatedly furrowing the brows when frowning, scowling, squinting or just from focusing on something.

An interesting fact is that glabella Botox treatment was actually the first cosmetic use of Botox approved by the FDA in 2002. Botox, more formally known as botulinum toxin A, is an injection that basically blocks the signals that would ordinarily tell muscles to contract. Without muscle contraction, wrinkles gradually soften and relax, producing smoother-looking skin.

This treatment has caught on with quite a number of individuals: in 2003, just one year after the FDA-approval, it is reported that approximately 2.27 million Botox procedures were performed. During the early years, an invitation to a Botox party was not uncommon; now, with stricter regulations, Botox parties have become less frequent.

If you’re not about plastic surgery, but want to find ways to diminish the lines between your eyebrows, a home remedy that can be put to the test involves a little bit of tape properly placed between the eyebrows. By inhibiting movement, it is said that the tape helps prevent wrinkles on the skin.

And finally, a little glabella-related tip for those who have trouble sleeping, why not try some eyebrow acupressure? By gently massaging the glabella, you can help relax your body and induce sleep. Similarly, you can perform an EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, to stimulate and disperse energy that has become stagnate from stress or tension. This involves applying pressure to and massaging certain points of the body, one of which includes the glabella.

If you have any fun facts or thoughts about the glabella, feel free to share below!

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