Is Micro-Botox Disrupting the Skin's Microbiome Balance?

Micro-Botox is a specialised technique involving the injecting of diluted botulinum toxin into the skin. It is a frequently performed procedure to improve facial skin tone, texture, fine wrinkles, and enlarged pores. Unlike traditional Botox, which targets deeper facial muscles, Micro-Botox is administered more superficially and in a more diluted form. This allows for a more uniform and subtle rejuvenation effect without significantly affecting facial expressions. 

What we know:

▫️Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is widely recognized for its use as a neuromodulator in treating facial lines, correcting facial asymmetry, and creating a lifting effect in the lower face by administering via multiple injections into the superficial fibres of facial muscles (Fabi, et al., 2023).

▫️Micro-botox has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing the skin's sheen and texture, reducing sweat and sebum production, and minimising enlarged pores. It works by shrinking sebaceous glands, which in turn tightens the skin envelope (Salem et al., 2023). 

▫️Sebum provides a nutrient-rich environment for Cutibacterium acnes. By reducing sebum production, Micro-botox can decrease the availability of nutrients for Cutibacterium acnes bacteria, potentially reducing their population (Rho et al., 2021).

▫️The combined use of Micro-Botox and hyaluronic acid has been found to enhance skin hydration and improve the dermal barrier function (Kim, 2021). 

▫️Micro-Botox is effective for facial rejuvenation, lifting the mid to lower face, and reducing fine wrinkles in the forehead and cheek areas, particularly in younger individuals. It also works for neck rejuvenation, especially in older individuals (Iranmanesh et al., 2022). 

Industry impact & potential:

▫️The demand for Micro-Botox procedures continues to increase, driven by its effectiveness in addressing various skin concerns.

▫️There's potential for combining Micro-Botox with other skincare to enhance overall skin health and appearance.

▫️There is very little research that has been done on Micro-Botox and its impact on the skin microbiome. Hence, further research is needed to understand how Micro-Botox procedures impact the skin microbiome.

Our solution:

Sequential, specialises in microbiome analysis and we use advanced testing technologies and longitudinal study designs, to analyse changes in microbial diversity and composition pre and post treatments. By correlating these microbiome shifts with clinical outcomes such as improvements in skin texture or pore size, we aim to uncover new insights into the cosmetic procedure's impact on skin health at a microbial level.

Reference:

Fabi SG, Park JY, Goldie K, Wu W. Microtoxin for Improving Pore Size, Skin Laxity, Sebum 

Control, and Scars: A Roundtable on Integrating Intradermal Botulinum Toxin Type A Microdoses Into Clinical Practice. Aesthet Surg J. 2023 Aug 17;43(9):1015-1024. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjad044. PMID: 36857534; PMCID: PMC10481112.

Iranmanesh B, Khalili M, Mohammadi S, Amiri R, Aflatoonian M. Employing microbotox 

technique for facial rejuvenation and face-lift. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022 Oct;21(10):4160-4170. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14768. Epub 2022 Jan 22. PMID: 35064633.

Kim JS. Fine Wrinkle Treatment and Hydration on the Facial Dermis Using HydroToxin 

Mixture of MicroBotox and MicroHyaluronic Acid. Aesthet Surg J. 2021 May 18;41(6):NP538-NP549. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjaa231. PMID: 32779694; PMCID: PMC8240748.

Rho NK, Gil YC. Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in the Treatment of Facial Seborrhea and 

Acne: Evidence and a Proposed Mechanism. Toxins (Basel). 2021 Nov 19;13(11):817. doi: 10.3390/toxins13110817. PMID: 34822601; PMCID: PMC8626011.

Salem RM, Salah SAE, Ibrahim SE. Microbotox injection versus its topical application 

following microneedling in the treatment of wide facial pores: A split face comparative study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Apr;22(4):1249-1255. doi: 10.1111/jocd.15590. Epub 2023 Jan 6. PMID: 36606384.