Cosmetic Botox and Fillers


Introduction

Aesthetic procedures have gradually become more mainstream and popular over the past 15 years, largely led by the significant increase in minimally invasive procedures since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Botox Cosmetic treatment for glabellar rhytids in 2002. In 2014, more than 15.6 million cosmetic procedures were performed, of which 13.9 million were minimally and noninvasive procedures (ASPS 2014 statistics). Of the minimally invasive procedures, more than 6.6 million botulinum toxin type-A (BoA) procedures were performed, representing a 748% increase since 2000. More than 2.3 million soft tissue filler injections were performed, representing a 253% increase since 2000.

A complete discussion of minimally and noninvasive cosmetic procedures would also include adipose tissue transfer/injections, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing and other laser treatments, intense pulsed light (IPL), ultrasound and radiofrequency devices, sclerotherapy, microdermabrasion, and other procedures. This chapter will focus on the two most frequent noninvasive cosmetic procedures that prospective aesthetic patients seek: BoA neuromodulator injections and soft tissue filler injections. For simplicity, the BoA injections will be referred to as Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan), but it applies to other commercially available botulinum toxin-A products in the United States: Dysport (AbobotulinumtoxinA, Galderma) and Xeomin (IncobotulinumtoxinA, Merz; Table 160.1 ). The discussion of soft tissue filler injections will be limited to the hyaluronic acid (HA) product lines: Juvéderm (Allergan) injection procedure described can be applied to other HAs used in the United States: Restylane/Lyft/Silk (Galderma) and Belotero (Merz). The technique of Botox and filler injection procedures is summarized in FDA-approved anatomic locations, as well as in more advanced, off-label areas.

TABLE 160.1
Injectable Neuromodulators in the United States—Listed by Dates of US Food and Drug Administration Approval
Year of FDA Approval Product Trade Name (Manufacturer)
2002 Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) (Allergan)
2009 Dysport (AbobotulinumtoxinA) (Galderma)
2011 Xeomin (IncobotulinumtoxinA) (Merz)
Pending PurTox (Mentor)
Pending RT001 (Topical and Injectable) (Revance)
FDA, US Food and Drug Administration.

Key Operative Learning Points

Preprocedure Period

Patient Selection

The importance of the doctor-patient relationship in aesthetic surgery and medicine should not be diminished, despite the increasing popularity of medi-spas, corporate aesthetic practices, Botox “parties,” and the ease at which some minimally and noninvasive cosmetic procedures can be delivered. A patient who is interested in nonsurgical injectable procedures should have a consultation with a physician/surgeon specializing in aesthetic interventions/cosmetic procedures. During the consultation, the physician can ascertain the patient’s concerns and goals and be able to offer appropriate recommendations and treatment options.

Patient Assessment

History of Present Illness/Chief Complaint (HPI/CC)

  • Patient concerns and goals

    • Personal preferences

    • Gender, social, cultural, ethnic considerations

    • Work and/or family considerations

    • Downtime

    • Cost

History

  • General health

  • Aesthetic treatment history

  • Past medical history

  • Systemic disease

    • Autoimmune/collagen vascular disease

    • Bleeding tendencies/hematologic conditions

    • Reaction to anesthesia

  • Localized disease/condition

    • Ocular conditions

    • Herpes simplex virus (HSV)/cold sores

    • Facial nerve weakness/disorders

  • History of allergic reactions

    • Severe allergies/anaphylaxis

    • Food allergies: milk and egg products

  • Current medications

    • Steroids and other immunosuppressive agents, muscle relaxants, pain medications, anticoagulants (Coumadin or Plavix), psychiatric medications

  • Over-the-counter medications and supplements

    • NSAIDs, other blood thinning products

  • Females: Pregnancy and breast feeding

  • Social history: Smoking and alcohol use

  • Psychiatric history and conditions

    • Bipolar disorder

    • Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

  • Family history: Cardiovascular, psychiatric, hematologic disorder

  • Occupation/work history

Physical Examination

  • Skin quality and texture

  • Facial sagging and laxity

  • Loss of volume/contour deficiencies

  • Dynamic and static rhytids

  • Examination of face/neck at rest and with dynamic expression

  • Scars and/or acne scars

  • Pre-existing facial asymmetries/irregularities

  • Eyebrow/upper eyelid complex ptosis

  • Lower eyelid and cheek complex

  • Facial nerve evaluation/facial weakness

  • Cranial nerve examination

  • Muscles of facial expression: Assess strength and size.

  • Weight and height

  • Fitzpatrick skin type

  • Affect and psychologic presentation

Other

  • Photo documentation

  • Informed consent process

  • Answer patient concerns/questions

  • Follow-up

The Ideal Patient for Nonsurgical Injectable Treatments

  • Seeks nonsurgical options for rejuvenation

  • Has aging changes mostly related to volume loss and/or dynamic rhytids

  • Prefers minimal and/or no downtime

  • Understands value of periodic ongoing treatments to maintain and achieve best results

Procedure/Treatment

Botox Cosmetic

Indications

  • Dynamic rhytids

  • Static rhytids: Mild to moderate rhytids/younger patients

  • Brow shaping and sculpting

  • Facial sculpting

  • Wrinkle prevention

Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

  • Known hypersensitivity to any botulinum toxin preparation components

  • Ongoing presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s)

  • Pre-existing neuromuscular disorders, such as peripheral motor neuropathic diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or neuromuscular junction disorders (e.g., myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome)

  • Pregnancy or lactation (category C)

Relative Contraindications

  • Generalized muscle weakness

  • Uncontrolled systemic disease and/or patients in poor health

  • Pre-existing dysphagia or dysphonia

  • Breathing difficulties

  • Pre-existing cardiovascular disease

  • Presence of inflammation at the proposed injection site(s)

  • Baseline eyelid ptosis

  • Diplopia

  • History of excessive weakness or atrophy in the targeted muscle(s) to be injected

  • Unrealistic expectations

  • Psychiatric disease

  • Drug interactions: Aminoglycosides, calcium channel blockers

  • Recent administration of a different botulinum toxin preparation

Pretreatment Planning

  • Selection of neuromodulator (patient and physician preference, clinical situation)

  • Determine dose and volume to be injected

  • Reconstitution and preparation

  • Account for and/or limit other procedures performed at or around the time of injection (other nonsurgical injectable treatments, skin resurfacing procedures, surgical procedures).

Precautions Prior to Injection

  • Notification of any rash or infection near or at the planned injection site

  • Avoid blood thinning agents such as aspirin/NSAIDs, fish oils, vitamin E, herbal supplements, and/or alcohol a few days prior to treatment.

  • Continue prescribed medications, including medically necessary blood thinners.

Recommended Materials

  • Materials for mixing

    • 21- to 25-gauge needles

    • Preservative-free normal saline

  • Digital camera

  • Wipes

  • Mirror

  • Topical anesthetic (benzocaine/lidocaine/tetracaine [BLT] or lidocaine mixture)

  • Gloves

  • 30-gauge needle or tuberculin syringes

  • 1-mL syringe

  • Alcohol pads (or other disinfectant skin preparations)

  • Bottle opener (to remove rubber stopper of vial)

  • Marking pen/pencil

  • Gauze pads (4 × 4 or 2 × 2)

  • Ice pack

  • Medical waste container

Preparation/Dilution/Storage

  • Vacuum-dried powder form in single-use 50-Unit or 100-Unit vials

  • 2.5 mL of preservative-free 0.9% sodium chloride diluent to reconstitute each 100-Unit vial, yielding a concentration of 4 Units per 0.1 mL

  • Common off-label preparation

    • Preservative containing saline

    • Adjusting diluent quantity (1.0 to 4.0 mL) to yield the desired dose per 0.1 mL

  • Stored in refrigerator (2°C to 8°C) and administered less than 24 hours after reconstitution

  • Off-label storage: Multiple studies showing preservation of drug potency up to 2 weeks

Botox Injection Technique

General Considerations

  • Botox Cosmetic effect/timeline

    • Chemical denervation of the injected muscles within the first several days post injection

    • Clinical detectable relaxation of muscles from a few days to 14 days

    • Maximum clinical effect within the first 4 to 6 weeks

    • Duration of effect ranging from 3 to 4 months

  • FDA-approved indication/sites: glabella (2002), crow’s feet (CF)/lateral canthal lines (2013)

  • Off-label use in all remaining upper face, lower face, and neck areas

  • Potency units of different neuromodulators not interchangeable

  • Use 1:2.5 or 1:3 Unit conversion for Dysport and 1:1 Unit conversion for Xeomin.

Positioning

  • Physician/injector preference

  • Recumbent

  • Semirecumbent

  • Sitting up

Anesthesia

  • Topical anesthesia—lidocaine based

  • Nerve/intraoral blocks

  • Cooling devices—Zimmer

Monitoring

  • Possible vasovagal reaction

Key Anatomic Landmarks

  • Muscles of facial expression and neck

  • Eyebrow position and shape

  • Bony orbit

  • Facial vessels

Upper Face Indications for Botox Cosmetic

  • Injections of glabella/frown lines/11’s (corrugator/procerus muscles)

    • On-label FDA-approved glabellar indication: 4 Units injected intramuscularly into each of five sites, 2 in each corrugator muscle and 1 in the procerus muscle for a total dose of 20 Units ( Fig. 160.1 )

      Fig. 160.1, Botox treatment for FDA-approved glabella indication: 4 Units/0.1 mL of reconstituted Botox Cosmetic is injected intramuscularly into each of five sites, two in each corrugator muscle at its inferomedial and superolateral aspect and one in the procerus muscle at the midline, for a total dose of 20 Units.

    • 10- to 40-Unit range for desired clinical effect/relaxation of the glabella

    • Higher doses needed for active muscles and male patients

  • Injections of lateral canthal/CF lines (orbicularis oculi muscle):

    • On-label FDA-approved CF indication: 4 Units are injected intramuscularly into each of six sites, 3 on each side, into the orbicularis oculi muscle for a total dose of 24 Units ( Fig. 160.2 ).

      Fig. 160.2, Botox treatment for FDA-approved lateral canthal lines (crow’s feet/CF) indication: 4 Units/0.1 mL of reconstituted Botox Cosmetic is injected into three sites per side (six total injection points) in the lateral orbicularis oculi muscle for a total of 24 Units/0.6 mL (12 Units per side). A, Standard CF injection pattern—the first injection (A) should be approximately 1.5 to 2.0 cm temporal to the lateral canthus and just temporal to the orbital rim, with the second and third injection (X) above and below the lateral canthus. B, Modified CF injection pattern—the first injection (A) should be approximately 1.5 to 2.0 cm temporal to the lateral canthus and just temporal to the orbital rim, with the second and third injection (X) below the lateral canthus.

    • Two variant patterns of injecting lateral canthal lines are provided in the trial (see Fig. 160.2 ).

    • 10- to 30-Unit range for desired clinical effect/relaxation of the CF

    • Concurrent treatment of glabellar lines and lateral canthal lines can be performed with an on-label suggested dose of 44 Units.

  • Injections of horizontal forehead rhytids/lines (frontalis muscle):

    • 5 to 20 Units injected intramuscularly into the frontalis muscle

    • Variable pattern and number of injection sites—individualize treatment

    • Counsel patients before injection regarding the possibility of brow position changes and brow ptosis.

    • Use in conjunction with treatment of orbicularis oculi to alter brow shape and position.

  • Injections for chemical browlift (orbicularis oculi/corrugators/procerus muscle):

    • 5 to 20 Units total injected into the superolateral portion of the orbicularis oculi in the lateral third of the brow

    • Keep injections superior and lateral to the orbital rim to minimize ptosis.

    • May need to treat brow elevator to achieve desired brow height and shape

    • Can achieve a modest nonsurgical browlift of up to a few millimeters

  • Treatment of bunny lines (overactive procerus muscle):

    • Indicated for patients with excessive horizontal nasal lines

    • Can be unmasked by Botox treatment and relaxation of glabellar rhytids

    • In addition to treating the procerus, use small doses (1 to 2 Units Botox or 3 to 5 Units Dysport per side) injected directly over the bunny lines.

    • Injecting too low and lateral can affect the levator labii superioris.

  • Injections for “jelly rolls” in the lower eyelid (hypertrophied orbicularis oculi)

    • 1 to 2 Units injected into the lower eyelid pretarsal orbicularis muscle

    • Decreases hypertrophied orbicularis muscle and increases the palpebral aperture

    • Reduced blinking can lead to corneal exposure and related symptoms.

    • Other potential complications include epiphora and edema of the lower eyelid.

Lower Face Indications for Botox Cosmetic

  • Treatment of perioral lip lines (orbicularis oris), oral commissures (depressor anguli oris), and medial chin rhytids (mentalis muscles)

    • Can be used in conjunction with dermal fillers

    • Results are usually less dramatic and duration of effect shorter than those in the upper face.

    • Discuss the possibility of oral incompetence with your patient.

    • Contraindicated for patients who depend on use of muscles in perioral region (i.e., singers, musicians who play wind instruments)

  • Injections of perioral (vertical) lip lines (orbicularis oris):

    • Inject the orbicularis oris muscle in small amounts, maximum 1 to 1.5 Units Botox or 3 Units Dysport per site, two to six sites in the upper lip and two to four sites in the lower lips.

    • Stay close (within 5 mm) to the vermilion border.

  • Injections of oral commissures (depressor anguli oris muscles):

    • One to two injections (2 to 3 Units Botox or 6 to 9 Units Dysport) each side directly into the depressor anguli oris muscle overlying the mandibular body

    • Avoid injecting medial to the perpendicular line to the oral commissure.

    • Avoid injecting close to the mouth to minimize complications related to oral incompetence and/or lower lip ptosis.

    • Improves marionette lines and lifts mouth corners ( Fig. 160.3 )

      Fig. 160.3, Patient before and after Botox and HA filler treatment.

  • Treatment of dimpled chin (mentalis muscle):

    • Two injection sites in a paramedian position near the inferior mandibular border: total of 2 to 8 Units Botox or 6 to 20 Units Dysport

    • Avoid injecting too far lateral or superiorly.

Other Lower Face and Neck Indications for Botox

  • Treatment of gummy smile (depressor septi muscle):

    • Indicated for patients with with “gummy smiles” gingival show upon smile

    • Use small doses (total 1 to 3 Units Botox or 3 to 9 Units Dysport) injected just below the nose into the lip elevator complex (one to two injections).

    • As a nonsurgical treatment option for dynamic ptotic noses

  • Treatment of nasolabial folds (NLFs; levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle)

    • Patients with short upper lips and/or strong elevation of upper lip upon smile are potential candidates.

    • Use small doses (maximum 1 Unit Botox or 3 Units Dysport per side) injected just below the nose into the lip elevator complex and the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle.

    • Advise patients that their smile pattern may be altered.

    • The area is best treated with dermal fillers.

  • Treatment of neck bands (platysma muscle):

    • Consider in older patients who are not candidates for surgery

    • Younger patients who are not candidates yet for facelift surgery

    • Patients with good skin elasticity and minimal submental fullness

    • Botox has no effect on skin laxity or redundancy, laxity, or adipose tissue deposits

    • Requires higher dosages than the lower face

    • Use 10 Units Botox or 30 Units Dysport per platysmal band.

    • Can inject multiple sites per band from the mandible to the lower neck, or inject the band only at the cervicomental angle to recreate it

  • Treatment of square jaw (masseter muscle):

    • Injected into the masseter muscle to alter shape of the jawline

    • Popular application in East Asian countries

    • 10 to 25 Units Botox or 30 to 75 Units Dysport used per side (two to four injections)

    • Treatment effect may require multiple sessions, and treatment onset is slower but effects tend to last longer.

    • Adverse effects include mastication difficulty, muscle pain, dysarthria, and awkwardness with smiling.

    • Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ) and/or grinding tendency may benefit.

Facial Sculpting Techniques Using Botox Cosmetic

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