The problem of oily skin is one of the most popular in the field of aesthetic medicine. A huge number of people dream of getting rid of oily shine, which cannot be hidden by any powder. Oily skin care products, although they control the secretion of sebum, however, sometimes their effect is not enough.
In this regard, new methods to combat oily skin are constantly being developed, and among the most relevant is the use of botulinum toxin to reduce sebum secretion. Read more about the procedure on estet-portal.com in this article.
Botulinum toxin: a new word in the fight against oily skin
Sebum is composed of various fatty acids, triglycerides, wax esters, cholesterol and squalene.
Sebum creates a barrier that protects the skin from excessive moisture loss, damage, various microorganisms, and also ensures its rapid recovery and regeneration.
Excessive production of sebum can cause acne. While patients mostly come in for enlarged pores and acne, the first sign of excess sebum production is a sheen that appears on the skin throughout the day.
To combat oily skin and acne more often only local or local therapy is used. Retinoids are prescribed locally, and systemically it can be oral contraceptives, and spironolactone, and isotretinoin. However, these methods have rather unpleasant side effects, in connection with which new ways are being sought to combat excessive sebum formation.
Read also: Factors affecting sebaceous glands and acne development
Sebogenesis: main features of sebum production
Sebum production can vary from person to person, however, some factors may cause a tendency to over-secrete sebum. These include hormonal changes, and in particular, increased levels of androgens. It can also be caused by the use of unsuitable skin care products, or exposure to excessively dry climates, such as constant exposure to an air-conditioned room.
The sebaceous glands are located over the entire surface of the body, with the exception of the palms and soles, however, in certain places they the number is much higher, for example, in the face, chest and upper back. An excess of sebaceous glands can be one of the causes of oily skin.
A particularly large accumulation of sebaceous glands is observed in the T-zone - 300-900 per cm2.
Despite the fact that the number of sebaceous glands in a person is fixed from birth, they can increase in size throughout life, as a result of which they produce more sebum.
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Use of botulinum toxin to combat excess sebum secretion
The mechanism of action of botulinum toxin on sebocytes is not fully understood, however, it is known that these cells have acetylcholine receptors on their surface, which most likely blocks botulinum toxin.
In a retrospective study conducted in 2008 with the participation In 20 patients, botulinum toxin type A was injected intradermally into areas of the skin prone to excessive sebum production (T-zone). Within one month, 17 out of 20 patients noted a significant reduction in pore size and sebum production.
When treating patients with oily skin with botulinum toxin, the main difficulty is to inject the neurotoxin into the dermis, where the sebaceous glands are located. . If the product is placed too deep or superficially, then it is unlikely to have the desired effect.
Thus, there is still much unknown about the capabilities of botulinum toxin, this also applies to its inhibitory effect on sebum secretion. The use of botulinum toxin to combat oily skin is a promising direction, which, unfortunately, at this stage does not have a sufficient evidence base.
Botulinum toxin: a terrible poison or an invaluable medicine
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