Patient-reported benefit and satisfaction with botulinum toxin type A treatment of moderate to severe glabellar rhytides: results from a prospective open-label study.

BACKGROUND

Patient satisfaction is a key measure of success when using botulinum toxin type A to treat glabellar rhytides. However, lack of a standardized method of assessing satisfaction has limited its evaluation.

METHODS

In this open-label study, 58 women with moderate or severe glabellar rhytides at maximum frown were treated with 20 units of botulinum toxin type A (divided injections in corrugator and procerus muscles). Patients' self-perceptions were assessed at baseline and the following were assessed at days 30 and 120: investigator- and patient-rated global assessment of change in glabellar line severity, patient self-perception of age, and patient satisfaction with the effects of treatment and the procedure itself (using the Facial Lines Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire).

RESULTS

Overall, patients had a positive self-image at baseline. At day 30, the investigator reported that all patients had 50 percent or greater improvement in glabellar line severity. At days 30 and 120, 95 percent and 86 percent of patients, respectively, reported satisfaction with treatment overall and 82 percent or more reported satisfaction with various aspects of the effects of treatment (time to onset of action, improvement in facial lines and appearance, and appearing better and relaxed) and the procedure itself (absence of downtime and side effects). More than one-third of patients considered that they looked younger than they did before treatment (by a median of 5 years at both time points).

CONCLUSIONS

Botulinum toxin type A treatment of glabellar rhytides resulted in high levels of patient satisfaction, and more than one-third of patients thought they appeared younger than they did before treatment.