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Researcher proposes Digital Analysis of the Cutaneous Surface to reproducibly measure Botox results

In a preliminary report from Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Maurizio Cavallini, MD, recommends employing the Digital Analysis of the Cutaneous Surface to measure the effects of Botox in an objective, reproducible and fast method.

Eight women with mild to moderate rhytides underwent treatment with 15 U of Botox (onabotulinum toxin A, Allergan) to five points: the procerus, depressor supercilii and corrugator supercilii muscles.

Each patients was assessed with a Digital Analysis of the Cutaneous Surface (DACS; Antera 3, Miravex Limited, Dublin, Ireland) before and two weeks after injection.

The instrument uses multi-directional illumination and computer-assisted reconstruction of the skin surface. By illuminating various angles of the surface, the tool uses the differences in these images to reconstruct the surface into a 3D image.

In all cases, skin wrinkles decreased. Resting lines improved by 12.4% and hyperkinetic lines by 41.2%. Static improvement ranged from 11.6% 54.2% and dynamic improvement from 26% to 77.5%.

Using the data from DACS, an algorithm can analyze the wrinkles and calculate the percentage of change from the first (pretreatment) measure.

A comparison of DACS and the Facial Wrinkle Scale is currently in the works, according to the researcher.

The results of this DACS measurements allow for objective and not subjective measurements.

Other benefit include both static and dynamic rhytides can be analyzed and the “roughness” of the skin quantified. –by Abigail Sutton

Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.