Cosmetic injectables in skin of color: A review of uses, safety, and effectiveness of neuromodulators and dermal fillers.

[BACKGROUND] Skin of color (SOC) individuals represent a growing market for cosmetic injectables and can have different aesthetic goals and responses to treatment.

[OBJECTIVE] A review of the uses, safety, and effectiveness of injectable neuromodulators and dermal fillers in SOC individuals.

[METHODS AND MATERIALS] A search of the PubMed/MEDLINE database was conducted from August 1960 to December 2020. Studies that were included either had a focus on SOC (>20% SOC study participants) or dedicated article content commenting on the safety and/or efficacy of injectables in SOC participants.

[RESULTS] Of the 503 publications identified, a total of 88 articles were selected for this review. Differences in aging and cultural factors can influence aesthetic goals amongst SOC populations. Available data suggests that botulinum toxin (BTX) and dermal fillers are safe and effective in SOC populations, with the largest amount of data existing for Asian populations. There remains a paucity of research on Black and Latinx populations.

[CONCLUSION] BTX and dermal fillers are generally effective and well tolerated in SOC populations, particularly Asian populations for which the greatest amount of data exists. More high quality, randomized controlled trials in Black and Latinx populations are warranted.