BOTULINUM TOXIN - THE NEWPORT BEACH EXPERIENCE

BACKGROUND. Injections of botulinum toxins have become a major therape utic tool for cosmetic dermatologists. This therapy is quite useful as an adjuvant to the step-by-step skin rejuvenation program. OBJECTIVE. TO review our method of dilution and injection and to present case st udies. METHODS. Patients received either tangential or perpendicular i njections of botulinum toxin into the mimetic muscles of the face and neck to document the preferred method of injection. The botulinum toxi n also was diluted to 10, 15, or 20 cc to study its long-term potency. RESULTS. Tangential injections of botulinum toxin produced the longes t and most effective results. Dilution studies indicated that 15-cc di lution was possible in patients who previously had not been exposed to botulinum toxin, but that 10-cc dilution was more uniformly effective during repeat injections. CONCLUSION. With the proper method of injec tion and dilution, the botulinum toxin can be an useful adjuvant for b uilding cosmetic surgery practice. (C) 1998 by the American Society fo r Dermatologic Surgery, Inc.