Botulinum Toxin for Eyebrow Shaping: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Aesthetic medicine
• Dermatology
• Plastic surgery

Background:

• Lack of standardized protocols for eyebrow shaping using botulinum toxin.
• Existing controversies surrounding the optimal approach for this cosmetic procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and compare published data on eyebrow shaping with botulinum toxin.
• To synthesize evidence on efficacy, safety, and techniques for non-surgical brow lift.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases conducted on March 10, 2017.
• Inclusion criteria: studies with objective measurements of eyebrow changes post-botulinum toxin injection.
• Analysis of 11 studies involving 585 patients using onabotulinumtoxin A.

Main Results:

• Onabotulinumtoxin A was used in all included studies.
• Targeting of medial and/or lateral eyebrow depressors varied across studies.
• Highest lateral brow elevation ranged from 0.4-4.8 mm; common side effects included bruising and headache, with rare eyelid ptosis.

Conclusions:

• Botulinum toxin injection is a safe, noninvasive, and reproducible technique for eyebrow shaping.
• Different muscle targets allow for varied eyebrow reshaping outcomes.
• Further randomized controlled trials are recommended to establish definitive best practices.