Vascular Targeting for Botulinum Toxin Pain Injections

In a study conducted to evaluate the efficacy of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) in treating male pattern baldness, 50 male subjects aged 19 to 57 with Norwood/Hamilton ratings of II to IV were injected with BTX-A into scalp muscles. After 48 weeks, there was an 18% increase in hair count and a 39% reduction in hair loss, suggesting that BTX-A may improve scalp physiology and promote hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia. In a separate study on pain management, 17 subjects received injections of local anesthetic (LA) and BTX-A either peri-vascularly or in a fixed pattern. Results showed that peri-vascular injections of LA provided better pain reduction and longer-lasting effects than fixed pattern injections, and while both injection methods with BTX-A significantly reduced pain, peri-vascular injections had a longer duration of effect. These findings indicate that targeting vascular structures during injections may be more beneficial than fixed-site injections for both hair growth and pain management.