Injectable wrinkle reducers such as Botox and Dysport have introduced a new era of non-invasive facial rejuvenation possibilities. People opt for these safe procedures to reduce wrinkles and restore youthfulness to the treated area. Injectable fillers reduce or improve the appearance of wrinkles by relaxing the muscles responsible for their development. According to a new study published in the May 2015 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, an innovative 3D imaging technology can help measure the effectiveness of wrinkle reducing injections, not only when given for cosmetic purposes but also when used to reduce facial paralysis for Bell’s Palsy and stroke patients.
Three-dimensional speckle tracking photogrammetry that is often used in the automotive and aerospace industries for accurate measurement may be used to measure the efficacy of injectable wrinkle reducers, according to the study team. The photogrammetry technique makes use of photography to measure distances between objects. Researchers say that this concept can be used to measure dynamic facial wrinkles and their reduction after administering the injection. Fourteen patients were evaluated using a dual camera system and 3-dimensional optical analysis. Black speckle makeup and white foundation were randomly applied to each patient before injecting 20 units of filler in the area between the eyebrows, and two weeks after the injection. Digital camera was used to track the motion of the speckles. Analysis was made of the wrinkles in the treated areas, and before-and-after-treatment heat maps were obtained. Light blue color represented the wrinkles in the pre treatment heat map and it was found that the light blue was mostly replaced with yellow and green. These new colors signified reduced skin compression or wrinkling. This system also enables accurate measurement of wrinkle reduction.
- When injected in the forehead, horizontal compression or wrinkling decreased from 9.11 percent to 2.60 percent and from 4.83 percent to 0.83 percent
- Average vertical stretch during brow furrowing decreased from 2.51 percent to 1.15 percent
- Average vertical stretch in the forehead decreased from 6.73 percent to 1.67 percent
The study author says, “As new therapies and expanded applications become available for anti-aging and the treatment of neuromuscular disorders, this method may make it possible to quantify clinical efficacy and establish precise therapeutic regimens,…..Though future studies will need to explore the use of digital image correlation in larger groups, our results are the first to show the modality can be applied to study a range of challenges in plastic surgery.”