A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis: Botulinum Toxin A Effect on Postoperative Facial Scar Prevention

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Dermatology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Postoperative facial scarring causes significant psychological distress.
• No definitive method exists to prevent facial scar formation.
• Botulinum toxin A (BTA) is known for muscle paralysis and cosmetic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of BTA in preventing facial scar hyperplasia.
• To assess BTA's effectiveness in improving postoperative facial scar quality.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before May 2021.
• Searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane libraries.
• Assessed scar appearance using VSS, VAS, OSAS, PSAS, and SBSES, along with scar width and complications.

Main Results:

• Ten RCTs with 114 cases were analyzed.
• BTA injection group showed higher VAS scores, lower VSS and OSAS scores, and reduced scar width.
• No significant difference in complication rates was observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• BTA effectively inhibits scar hyperplasia and improves facial scar quality.
• BTA is a safe and beneficial treatment for postoperative facial scars.
• BTA offers a promising approach to enhance scar appearance and patient well-being.