Simple tips optimize toxin treatments

LAS VEGAS – Listening to patients is the “first and most important step” toward using neuromodulators successfully, according to Burt Steffes, MD.

Clinicians armed with a thorough knowledge of anatomy and the available products can use neuromodulators successfully for a range of aging concerns including the glabellar complex, crow’s feet, marionette lines, smoker’s lines, a dimpled chin, and platysmal bands, Dr. Steffes, a dermatologist in Fond du Lac, Wisc., said in a presentation at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas dermatology seminar.

When diluting toxins, be consistent for best results, he advised. “Pick a concentration you like and stick with it,” he said. Establishing realistic expectations and taking preprocedure photos are essential for optimizing results, he added.

Dr. Steffes shared the following tips for successful toxin treatments:

• Horizontal forehead rhytids. Check the brow position and stay approximately 2 cm above the eyebrows. Be conservative with the amount of product used to avoid the frozen look. In cases of upper eyelid ptosis, “improvement can be achieved with apraclonidine 0.5% drops,” he said.

• Glabellar complex. Dr. Steffes said he usually uses 10-30 units. Avoid blood vessels to avoid bruising, he said, “and ask patients to scowl” to identify the exact location for injections.

• Crow’s feet. Treatment of crow’s feet means managing an area “of great variability,” Dr. Steffes said. He advised using superficial injections to minimize bruising, while staying 2 cm from the orbital rim and adjusting to match the patient’s rhytid pattern. He recommends 1-2 units placed 1 cm below the lower eyelid margin at the mid-pupillary line to decrease the bunching of the lower eyelid.

• Platysmal bands. Managing volume is the key to successful treatment of platysmal bands, said Dr. Steffes. “Injecting too much product into the neck can lead to asymmetry” he cautioned. Pinch the platysmal band between the fingers and inject intramuscularly, using 2 units per injection. “Use conservative amounts and adjust in two weeks if needed,” he said.

Be sure that all patients make follow-up appointments before they leave the office after a procedure, and schedule new patients for follow-up in 2 weeks, said Dr. Steffes. Instruct all patients to contact your office immediately for any concerns including bruising that may be managed within the first 24-48 hours with a low-fluence 595-nm, 532-nm, or 1,064-nm laser, he added.

Dr. Steffes had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.

LAS VEGAS – Listening to patients is the “first and most important step” toward using neuromodulators successfully, according to Burt Steffes, MD.

Clinicians armed with a thorough knowledge of anatomy and the available products can use neuromodulators successfully for a range of aging concerns including the glabellar complex, crow’s feet, marionette lines, smoker’s lines, a dimpled chin, and platysmal bands, Dr. Steffes, a dermatologist in Fond du Lac, Wisc., said in a presentation at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas dermatology seminar.

When diluting toxins, be consistent for best results, he advised. “Pick a concentration you like and stick with it,” he said. Establishing realistic expectations and taking preprocedure photos are essential for optimizing results, he added.

Dr. Steffes shared the following tips for successful toxin treatments:

• Horizontal forehead rhytids. Check the brow position and stay approximately 2 cm above the eyebrows. Be conservative with the amount of product used to avoid the frozen look. In cases of upper eyelid ptosis, “improvement can be achieved with apraclonidine 0.5% drops,” he said.

• Glabellar complex. Dr. Steffes said he usually uses 10-30 units. Avoid blood vessels to avoid bruising, he said, “and ask patients to scowl” to identify the exact location for injections.

• Crow’s feet. Treatment of crow’s feet means managing an area “of great variability,” Dr. Steffes said. He advised using superficial injections to minimize bruising, while staying 2 cm from the orbital rim and adjusting to match the patient’s rhytid pattern. He recommends 1-2 units placed 1 cm below the lower eyelid margin at the mid-pupillary line to decrease the bunching of the lower eyelid.

• Platysmal bands. Managing volume is the key to successful treatment of platysmal bands, said Dr. Steffes. “Injecting too much product into the neck can lead to asymmetry” he cautioned. Pinch the platysmal band between the fingers and inject intramuscularly, using 2 units per injection. “Use conservative amounts and adjust in two weeks if needed,” he said.

Be sure that all patients make follow-up appointments before they leave the office after a procedure, and schedule new patients for follow-up in 2 weeks, said Dr. Steffes. Instruct all patients to contact your office immediately for any concerns including bruising that may be managed within the first 24-48 hours with a low-fluence 595-nm, 532-nm, or 1,064-nm laser, he added.

Dr. Steffes had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.

LAS VEGAS – Listening to patients is the “first and most important step” toward using neuromodulators successfully, according to Burt Steffes, MD.

Clinicians armed with a thorough knowledge of anatomy and the available products can use neuromodulators successfully for a range of aging concerns including the glabellar complex, crow’s feet, marionette lines, smoker’s lines, a dimpled chin, and platysmal bands, Dr. Steffes, a dermatologist in Fond du Lac, Wisc., said in a presentation at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas dermatology seminar.

When diluting toxins, be consistent for best results, he advised. “Pick a concentration you like and stick with it,” he said. Establishing realistic expectations and taking preprocedure photos are essential for optimizing results, he added.

Dr. Steffes shared the following tips for successful toxin treatments:

• Horizontal forehead rhytids. Check the brow position and stay approximately 2 cm above the eyebrows. Be conservative with the amount of product used to avoid the frozen look. In cases of upper eyelid ptosis, “improvement can be achieved with apraclonidine 0.5% drops,” he said.

• Glabellar complex. Dr. Steffes said he usually uses 10-30 units. Avoid blood vessels to avoid bruising, he said, “and ask patients to scowl” to identify the exact location for injections.

• Crow’s feet. Treatment of crow’s feet means managing an area “of great variability,” Dr. Steffes said. He advised using superficial injections to minimize bruising, while staying 2 cm from the orbital rim and adjusting to match the patient’s rhytid pattern. He recommends 1-2 units placed 1 cm below the lower eyelid margin at the mid-pupillary line to decrease the bunching of the lower eyelid.

• Platysmal bands. Managing volume is the key to successful treatment of platysmal bands, said Dr. Steffes. “Injecting too much product into the neck can lead to asymmetry” he cautioned. Pinch the platysmal band between the fingers and inject intramuscularly, using 2 units per injection. “Use conservative amounts and adjust in two weeks if needed,” he said.

Be sure that all patients make follow-up appointments before they leave the office after a procedure, and schedule new patients for follow-up in 2 weeks, said Dr. Steffes. Instruct all patients to contact your office immediately for any concerns including bruising that may be managed within the first 24-48 hours with a low-fluence 595-nm, 532-nm, or 1,064-nm laser, he added.

Dr. Steffes had no relevant financial conflicts to disclose.

SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.