Treating the face of women with botulinum toxin type A: 7-year review

Abstract

Introduction: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is the number one aesthetic procedure worldwide, and the difficulty in standardizing the aesthetic treatment of the face results in a broad range of treatment possibilities. The objective this study aimed to describe the author’s experience treating facial wrinkles of women with BTX-A and suggest a standardized initial treatment method. Methods: A documentary retrospective review of all medical records from the main author’s clinic from 2010 to 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil, was performed, searching for female patients who required the BTX-A aesthetic treatment to reduce facial wrinkles. The main author obtained, reviewed, and classified photographic data (“Carruthers Grading Scale for Forehead Lines”). Results: The BTX-A used in all patients was Botox® (Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA, USA). A total of 156 female treatments with BTX-A were identified. The average total units of BTX-A used for the referred treatment was 32.43U. The average period between treatments in the same patient was 8.73 months. All patients showed an improved “Grading Scale for Forehead Lines” post-treatment Conclusion: The review suggests a safe and effective technique is possible with even lower complication rates than found in the literature using fewer units, resulting in lower product costs. One should always try to minimize risks in aesthetic treatments.

Keywords

• botulinum toxins, type a
• surgery, plastic
• esthetics
• rejuvenation
• facial expression