A case study of a 47-year-old woman from Singapore who had developed botox resistance. She had been using high-dose BoNT-A consistently every 6 months for 3 years. *She then noticed that the effectiveness of the BoNT-A treatment was decreasing. With shorter duration of results and more frequent treatments.
She decided to switch to a high-purity BoNT-A formula. Which restored the effectiveness of the treatment. She then switched back to high-dose BoNT-A and impurities. Which stopped the effectiveness of the treatment. She had a blood test and found that she had antibodies to BoNT-A. The doctor diagnosed her with BoNT-A resistance. She decided to switch back to pure BoNT-A. She had a blood test and found that the antibodies decreased after receiving continuous pure BoNT-A treatment every 3-4 months.
From the above patient cases. It shows the resistance to botulinum toxin that users of botulinum toxin find that the effectiveness of the treatment with botulinum toxin is reduced. The amount of substance must be increased, the treatment must be more frequent, or the treatment is not effective continuously. These are major global problems because most consumers still lack knowledge about botulinum toxin resistance or botulinum resistance. Which not only causes the ineffectiveness of the treatment but may also be a warning sign that in the future. Patients may not be able to receive BoNT-A treatment again, whether for cosmetic or medical reasons
To create knowledge and understanding about botulinum toxin resistance. Women would like everyone to start understanding about botulinum toxin resistance from the beginning. Until the ability to avoid botulinum toxin resistance by themselves.
Get to know “Botox resistance” or what is BoNT-A resistance ?
Botox resistance or Botox resistance is when receiving BoNT-A treatment and finding that the use or treatment with botulinum toxin does not result in reduced effectiveness. Requiring an increase in the amount of substance or more frequent treatment.
Signs and symptoms of BoNT-A resistance
Using higher doses of the drug to achieve the same response to treatment, or requiring more frequent treatments to achieve the same results.
Risk factors for “Botox resistance” or resistance to BoNT-A
- The use of BoNT-A containing foreign substances increases the risk of stimulating the immune system to create antibodies to inhibit the action of BoNT-A, similar to the process of immunization from vaccination.
- Repeated exposure to foreign BoNT-A results in a heightened immune response, leading to long-term drug resistance.
Regarding this matter, Professor Dr. Wasanop Wachiramon gave an additional interview stating that the factors that cause botox resistance also come from:
1. Frequency of use “Most of the time we tell patients that it shouldn’t be used more often than 3 months. You have to understand that Botox is a foreign substance that the https://ufabet999.app body will see and resist. So we shouldn’t load it with strange substances too often. Most of the time, it’s recommended not to use it more often than 3 months.”
2. Amount of dosage used “I personally like to use a small dose first, only when necessary. There might be some places that use a large dose, and some muscles that aren’t necessary will be injected. We might hear the phrase “Botox a whole bottle.” I think this is unnecessary in some cases, and the body will see it as a foreign substance. So don’t let the body see these things too much.”
Impact on the development of “BoNT-A resistance”
- Resistance to BoNT-A can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment and may prevent patients from receiving BoNT-A for future cosmetic and medical treatments.
- Since BoNT-A is used to treat neurological diseases and conditions such as spastic neck syndrome and muscle spasms in patients with cerebrovascular disease. The development of resistance to BoNT-A may have a serious impact on the patient’s quality of life if BoNT-A is needed to treat such conditions in the future.
How to solve the problem when “BoNT-A resistance” occurs
- For patients already receiving BoNT-A treatment. Switching to a pure BoNT-A formulation will further reduce the risk of developing BoNT-A resistance.
/How to avoid “BoNT-A resistance”?
- Selecting a pure BoNT-A formulation from the start of treatment is essential to reduce the risk of developing BoNT-A resistance and ensure that the treatment remains effective over the long term.
- Choose a doctor with expertise and experience in treatment. Avoid changing clinics or doctors frequently so that the doctor can follow up on the treatment history and provide continuous care to the patient, which will effectively reduce the risk of resistance to BoNT-A.
- Healthcare professionals should use the lowest dose needed to achieve the desired therapeutic effect, spacing each treatment as far apart as possible, and avoiding additional injections than planned.
- Healthcare professionals should perform a comprehensive clinical assessment, develop a careful treatment plan, and use pure BoNT-A formulations to minimize the risk of developing botulin resistance as much as possible.
- Healthcare professionals should prioritize initial counseling with patients to educate them about the risk of developing BoNT-A resistance.
–How should patients communicate with their doctors?
- Patients should consult their doctor about the brand of BoNT-A they are using. Their treatment plan, and their long-term self-care plan.
- Patients should inform their physician about their treatment goals, concerns, previous medical and cosmetic BoNT-A treatments, and any noticeable changes in their results.
*How to choose a pure BoNT-A product among the many products that claim to be highly pure on the market
- A drug formulation is considered pure if it contains only active neurotoxin molecules and does not contain foreign particles such as protein complexes, inactive neurotoxins, flagellin proteins, or bacterial genetic contaminants.
- BoNT-A formulations that claim to be “mostly pure” may still contain impurities, such as inactive and denatured neurotoxins, which may increase the risk of immunostimulation.
- Some manufacturers may claim that their products are pure because their formulas do not contain certain ingredients. However, these formulas still contain other foreign substances that the immune system can easily recognize, which may also increase the risk of BoNT-A.