Efficacy of microbotulinum toxin A combined with intense pulsed light on facial rejuvenation

Objective To investigate the efficacy of micro botulinum toxin A (BTX) combined with intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in facial rejuvenation patients. Methods A total of thirty patients (1 male, 29 females, aged 35 to 55 years with average age of 45.56 years) with facial photoaging in the Department of Medical Cosmetology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from Jan. to Sept. 2018 were enrolled as out-patients. Thirty patients were recruited in the study and randomly assigned averagely to the combination group and control group. All received standard IPL treatment every month for a total of 3 sessions. Patients in combined group received microinjections of diluted BTX on cheeks after the first IPL. VISIA CR images were analyzed before, 1 month and 3 months after treatment. Dermatologists assessed the improvement of color spots, wrinkles, texture, pore, and erythema improvement. The patient satisfaction survey was analyzed. Results The effective rate of the combined group was better than that of the intense pulsed light group one month after treatment (χ2=6.208, P=0.045), but there was no significant difference between the two groups three months after treatmen (χ2=1.077, P=0.584t). The patient satisfaction survey showed that there was no statistical difference between the two groups. Slight erythema and bruising were observed but disappeared at the end of the treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions The adjunctive use of MicroBTX can enhance treatment efficacy of IPL alone. It is a highly effective and safe treatment method for facial antiaging. Key words: Botulinum toxins, Type A; Injections; Micro injection; Intense pulsed light; Facial rejuvenation