LAUSR

BACKGROUND With wide spread of instant social media, people desire a minimal invasive treatment to improve alar dynamic aesthetic but seldom practical procedures on reducing alar mobility have been conducted. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to verify effects of botulinum toxin on reducing nasal alar mobility and provide a supplemental treatment of rhinoplasty. METHODS This single-blind and prospective study included a cohort of 20 participants with the desires of improving alar dynamic aesthetic. Experimental group was injected 3U botulinum toxin type A (Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products Ltd, Lanzhou, Gansu, China) at dilator naris anterior, dilator naris vestibularis, levator labii superioris alaeque nasi and dilator naris, while control group were received equivalent saline. Standardized facial movement (from rest to maximum smile without revealing teeth) was recorded by three-dimensional imaging system. The changes between rest and maximum simile statuses represented alar mobility and generate by: MOBILITY=WIDTHsmile-WIDTHrestWIDTHrest×100%. Alar mobility and RMS (Root mean square) analysis were used for postoperative evaluations. RESULTS In experimental group, alar flaring mobility decreased from 10.05±6.40% to 4.91±3.48% (P<0.05) and alar base mobility decreased from 16.83±5.69% to 12.50±4.89% (P<0.05) while no significant changes of alar mobility were found in control group. In RMS analysis, changes in experiment group were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Botulinum toxin type A can effectively restrain alar mobility without any significant adverse events and improve alar dynamic esthetic, which can serve as minimal invasive method or supplemental treatment for rhinoplasty.