Volumizing effects of a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid volumizing filler: prospective European study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Facial volume loss contributes significantly to facial aging. The 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid (HA) formulation used in this study is a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, fully reversible, volumizing filler indicated to restore facial volume. This first prospective study evaluated use in current aesthetic clinical practice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A pan-European evaluation conducted under guidelines of the World Association of Opinion and Marketing Research, the trial comprised a baseline visit (visit 1) and a follow-up (visit 2) at 14 ± 7 days posttreatment. Physicians photographed patients at each visit. Each patient was treated with the 20-mg/mL HA volumizing filler as supplied in standard packaging. Procedural details, aesthetic outcomes, safety, and physician and patient ratings of their experience were recorded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifteen physicians and 70 patients (91% female; mean age: 50 years) participated. Mean volume loss at baseline was 3.7 (moderate) on the Facial Volume Loss Scale. Local anesthesia was used in 64.3% of cases. Most injections (85%) were administered with needles rather than cannulas. Of the 208 injections, 59% were in the malar region, primarily above the periosteum. Subcutaneous injections were most common for other sites. The mean total injection volume per patient was 4.6 mL. The mean volume loss score declined significantly (<it>P </it>< .001) to 2.1 at visit 2. On the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale, 88% and 76% of the treatments were rated very much improved or much improved by physicians and patients, respectively. Of the physicians, 95.6% rated this HA filler as very or fairly easy to use. Similarly, 92% of patients were very likely or quite likely to return for treatment; nearly all (98%) would recommend this treatment to friends. Transient (mean duration: 5.5 days) injection-site adverse events (AEs) occurred in 24 patients. Bruising was the most common AE.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The 20-mg/mL smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, volumizing HA filler was effective, well tolerated, and easy to use in current clinical practice. Participants were very likely to recommend this product to colleagues and friends, and patients would be very or quite likely to request this product for future treatments.</p

Italian consensus report on the aesthetic use of onabotulinum toxin A

BackgroundThe aesthetic treatment of facial and neck wrinkles with botulinum toxin is constantly increasing, thus making it necessary to collect procedures guidelines for the use of botulinum toxin in the treatment of wrinkles and/or cosmetic defects.MethodsA group of nine Italian doctors, plastic and maxillo-facial surgeons, dermatologists and aesthetic physicians, experts in face and neck aesthetic treatments with onabotulinum toxin A, discussed on procedures used in their clinical practice. From the data collected and discussed by the board, some recommendations on aesthetic treatment with onabotulinum toxin A were developed.ResultsRecommendations have been made on pretreatment, reconstitution of onabotulinum toxin A, as well as on treatment procedures, in terms of injection sites and total dose of onabotulinum toxin A for the following indications: glabellar lines, crown's feet lines, forehead lines, eyebrow shaping, lower orbicularis oculi hypertrophy, bunny lines, sagging nasal tip, gummy smile, masseter hypertrophy, perioral lines, marionette lines, hypertonic mentalis, and platysma bands.ConclusionsThe use of onabotulinum toxin A in the aesthetic field requires careful initial assessment of the patient in its complexity and individuality. Moreover, this treatment needs the use of standardized procedures to achieve the effectiveness and safety of onabotulinum toxin A in clinical practice