A Comparative Study in the Outcome of Primary Asian Blepharoplasty with and without Fat Removal

Background: Asian Blepharoplasty (AB) is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic procedures today. Despite the increasing demand for AB and advancements in surgical techniques, creating an optimal upper eyelid crease remains difficult. This study aimed to determine whether removing the preaponeurotic fat pad (PAF) had any effect on the revision surgery rates following primary Asian blepharoplasty. Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted on patients who underwent primary AB between January 2016 and December 2020. Patients were divided into PAF removed and PAF not removed groups. The outcomes in the groups were compared by the frequency of revision surgery following primary AB using the chi-square test (p Results: The study included 480 patients, 442 (92%) female and 38 (8%) male, and the final outcome was evaluated after 6 months postoperatively. 412 (86%) patients were observed to have PAF pads intraoperatively, while 68 (14%) had minimal/no PAF pads. In total, 115 (24%) patients underwent revision surgery, of whom 31 (27%) had PAF removed, 66 (57%) had PAF not removed, and 18 (16%) had minimal/no PAF noted. When compared to the PAF not removed group, the PAF removed group showed a significantly lower frequency of revision surgery between the two groups of patients (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: In the final outcome, not removing the PAF in primary AB indicated a strong association with an increase in revision surgery. The removal of PAF in primary AB showed a better overall outcome and patient satisfaction.

Botulinum Toxin Type A and Its Possible Mechanisms on Wound Healing

Botulinum toxin type-A (BTX-A), a subtype from known seven types of botulinum neurotoxin (serotype A-G), is produced by a gram-positive bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. The toxin is now widely and efficiently used in treating a plethora of diverse symptoms and conditions. Recent evidence in the literature also shows that BTX-A exhibits a wide range of effects on non-neuronal cells. Its potential has markedly expanded to clinical applications other than the treatment of neurological and muscular conditions that are characterized by neuronal hyperactivity. A number of studies have shown BTX-A to improve the quality of scar outcome and prevent the formation of keloids and HTS. Although the mechanism of action of BTX-A on wound healing is still not clearly understood, lately there has been extensive research to grasp the underlying mechanisms of this multifunctional toxin. BTX-A seems to affect wound healing by a number of mechanisms that include action on tensile forces, inhibition of fibroblasts differentiation, downregulation of TGF-β1 and collagen expression. This review will explore the responses of Botulinum toxin type-A on wound healing and preventing pathological scars like HTS and keloids, and comprehend the overall effect BTX-A has on wound healing.