A new study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has found that higher doses of botulinum toxin are required to achieve results in ‘high-sun’ climates.
The research compared outcomes of glabellar Botox treatment in a ‘high-sun group of 292 women in Malta and a ‘low-sun’ group of 231 women treated in London, with the Malta group treated in the summer and the London group in the winter. The optimum results showed a higher average Botox dose in the high-sun group: 29.2 vs. 27.3 units. They also received a higher average top-up dose: 2.24 vs. 1.98 units.
The researchers speculate that higher temperatures or direct sunlight might affect the body’s response to the toxin. Alternatively, as the glabellar muscles are more active in summer weather due to squinting, this may have had an effect.
Lead author and surgical trainee Dr Kim Borsky concluded, “Our results suggest that practitioners may need to adjust their toxin dosing protocols to account for the effects of climate on the results of this cosmetic treatment.”
