Nonsurgical correction of drooping mouth corners using monophasic hyaluronic acid and incobotulinumtoxinA.

[BACKGROUND] Nonsurgical correction of drooping of the corners of the mouth requires a multimodal approach combining botulinum toxin and soft tissue filler injections.

[OBJECTIVE] To validate a nonsurgical therapeutic approach for correcting a "saddened" appearance characterized by drooping mouth corners, oral commissures, and/or marionette lines.

[METHODS] In this prospective, evaluator-blinded study, monophasic hyaluronic acid (MHA) was infiltrated to correct drooping mouth corners in four steps, deep oral commissures in two steps, and/or deep marionette lines in two steps, in that order. Then, incobotulinumtoxinA was injected along the depressor anguli oris and mentalis muscles.

[RESULTS] The total volumes of MHA used in steps 1-4 were 0.2 mL (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.19-0.3) for the right side of the face and 0.25 mL (IQR: 0.2-0.3) for the left side; total volumes in steps 5-8 were 0.18 mL (IQR: 0-0.4) for the right side and 0.15 mL (IQR: 0-0.33) for the left side. The total mean dose of incobotulinumtoxinA was 26.5 units (IQR: 24-28). The median degrees of drooping of the mouth corners were -4° (IQR: -7° to -2°) at baseline, -1° (IQR: -3° to 1°) at post-treatment 2 weeks, and -1° (IQR: -3° to 0°) at post-treatment 3 months. Median Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores were 3 (IQR: 2-3) at post-treatment 2 weeks and 3 (IQR: 2-3.75) at 3 months.

[CONCLUSION] Our results demonstrated that nonsurgical treatment with MHA and incobotulinumtoxinA provides satisfactory therapeutic outcomes in patients with a saddened appearance by correcting drooping of the mouth corners, deep oral commissures, and/or deep marionette lines.