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December 03, 2024
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Electrical stimulation device may mitigate facial muscle atrophy from botulinum toxin

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Key takeaways:

  • Patients in the active treatment group saw a 37.4% reduction in wrinkle severity from baseline.
  • They also saw a 1.5 mL volume increase on the cheeks at the 3-month follow-up.

A novel device using radiofrequency and high-intensity facial electrical stimulation could mitigate the risk for facial muscle atrophy following repeated botulinum toxin injections, according to a study.

“Despite the effectiveness of botulinum toxin (BT) treatment, the risk of developing resistance can arise, and the facial muscles can become weaker due to continuous treatment, eventually leading to facial muscle atrophy,” Suneel Chilukuri, MD, FAAD, FACMS, a cosmetic dermatologist at Refresh Dermatology, wrote. “Facial muscle atrophy, especially in elevator muscles, is not desired and may negatively contribute to the loss of natural support and a sunken appearance, which can be especially problematic in areas such as the cheeks and temples.”

Needle being injected into the forehead.
A novel device using radiofrequency and high-intensity facial electrical stimulation could mitigate the risk for facial muscle atrophy following repeated botulinum toxin injections. Image: Adobe Stock.

To mitigate this risk, studies have shown that patients can safely use radiofrequency technology in conjunction with BT treatment. However, a device has made its way on the dermatology scene that uses both monopolar radiofrequency and high-intensity facial electrical stimulation technology, which could potentially become “the ideal method to preserve and support the facial elevators’ proper and healthy function while still having the high rejuvenating effect of BT treatment,” Chilukuri explained.

The single-site, single-arm, open-label, randomized, interventional study included 12 adults (mean age, 59.7 years; 10 women) who received BT treatment in the past month. Participants were assigned to either an active treatment group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 2).

In the active treatment group, patients underwent four 20-minute treatment visits administered 5 to 10 days apart. Investigators then evaluated the patients’ results at three separate follow-ups: one after the last treatment, another 1 month post-treatment and the final 3 months post-treatment.

According to a 3D analysis, patients in the active treatment group saw a 37.4% reduction in wrinkle severity from baseline along with a 1.5 mL volume increase on the cheeks at the 3-month follow-up.

While the active treatment group saw improvement in facial appearance while frowning (2.1 ± 0.2 points) and making surprised facial expressions (1.8 ± 0.2 points), the greatest improvement was seen when patients smiled (2.2 ± 0.1 points).

Patients who received active treatment reported high satisfaction with the comfortability of the treatment with an average score of 6.3 ± 0.2 points on the 7-point Likert scale. Additionally, no adverse events were reported.

“The results suggest that the application of monopolar radiofrequency and high-intensity facial electrical stimulation is safe and effective in subjects who undergo BT injections and can positively affect the result of BT treatment,” Chilukuri concluded.