Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39499618›Full record

ArticleJournal of cosmetic dermatology2025

When to change needles during neuromodulator injections-An electron-microscopy investigation into needle tip deformation.

Lisa Akintilo, Jeremy B Green, Joely Kaufman, Bahar Ghane-Motlagh, David L Freytag, Konstantin Frank, Michael Alfertshofer, Sebastian Cotofana

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Lisa AkintiloSkin Associates of South Florida and Skin Research Institute, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Jeremy B GreenSkin Associates of South Florida and Skin Research Institute, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.
Joely KaufmanSkin Associates of South Florida and Skin Research Institute, Coral Gables, Florida, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7305-6898
Bahar Ghane-MotlaghBioNIUM Nanofabrication Facility, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.
David L FreytagDepartment for Hand, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig - Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
Konstantin FrankDepartment of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6994-8877
Michael AlfertshoferDepartment for Hand, Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Ludwig - Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4892-2376
Sebastian CotofanaDepartment of Dermatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7210-6566

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeuromodulator injections are minimally invasive procedures performed across the globe. Despite their ubiquity, there is a dearth of information on whether and how needle tips used for neuromodulator procedures are deformed after repeated injections.

objectiveWe investigated the magnitude of needle tip deformation following sequential injection passes (3×, 5×, and 10×) during facial neuromodulator injections with three commonly used needle sizes (30G, 31G, and 32G).

methodsNeuromodulator was administered for four different aesthetic indications. Each collected needle was mounted and imaged in a Philips XL-30 Scanning electron microscope. Images were processed using ImageJ photo analysis software.

resultsForty-five needle tips were investigated. When comparing the facial regions of interest, a statistically significant difference in deformation percentage was found when injecting 10× (p = 0.044) with greatest damage after injecting the glabella (38.4%), followed by lateral canthus (27.9%), forehead (27.5%), and midface (23.1%). Independent of facial region targeted, the mean percentage of needle deformation at 3× was 14.8%, at 5× 19.6%, and at 10× 29.2% with p < 0.001. Smaller needle size corresponded to smaller percentage of damage.

conclusionExchanging needles after more than five injection passes will minimize needle deformation and likely increase injection precision.

Indexed as

Cosmetic TechniquesNeedlesEquipment DesignEquipment FailureFaceHumansInjectionsMicroscopy, Electron, Scanningbotulinum toxinelectron microscopyneedle injectionsneedle tip deformationneuromodulator

Identifiers

PMID39499618
PMCPMC11743232

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.