Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Calf Contouring Based on the Study of Combined Injection of Gastrocnemius and Soleus.

[BACKGROUND] Botulinum toxin is administered to paralyze the gastrocnemius muscle and reduce its size, thereby improving the calf contour and reducing the leg circumference of the calf.

[OBJECTIVES] In pursuit of better efficacy, we designed a new injection protocol that targeted both the gastrocnemius and soleus. An algorithm of botulinum toxin injection for calf contouring was proposed based on the results of the study and ultrasonographic data.

[METHODS] A prospective, self-controlled, double-blind study was conducted. The gastronemius muscle (GM) group (n = 17) included the patients whose gastrocnemius muscles were treated, and the GM + soleus muscle (SM) group (n = 17) included the patients who had both the gastrocnemius and soleus treated. Parameters including the maximum leg circumference and the subcutaneous fat, gastrocnemius muscle, and soleus muscle thicknesses were collected before and after injection.

[RESULTS] Both GM and GM + SM injection helped improve calf contour. Although the thickness of the gastrocnemius muscle was reduced, reducing the leg circumference, the subcutaneous fat and soleus muscle had compensatory thickening after injection, especially over the long term, which may affect the efficacy. Compared with the GM group, the GM + SM group effectively reduced the tendency of the soleus muscle to thicken. Calf muscle thickness could be roughly estimated by constructing a fitting equation and measuring height, weight, and leg circumference.

[CONCLUSIONS] Two injection methods achieved the effect of improving calf contour and reducing the leg circumference with equivalent patient satisfaction. The GM + SM injection group did not show any obvious extra clinical benefit when compared with the GM injection group.