Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have gained rapid popularity for both medical and consumer-directed weight loss. This growth has been accompanied by increased public discussion regarding facial aesthetic changes, commonly referred to as “Ozempic face,” characterized by volume depletion and cutaneous laxity.
To quantify temporal patterns of public search interest in a widely known GLP-1 RA and evaluate corresponding awareness of its cosmetic facial sequelae using infodemiologic methods.
Google Trends data for “Ozempic” and related frequently co-searched queries were analyzed from November 2021 to December 2024. Trends in relative search volume (RSV) were examined, with particular focus on terms associated with facial aesthetics, including “Ozempic face” and “plastic surgeons Ozempic face.”
RSV for “Ozempic” showed a steady upward trajectory over the study period. Queries related to facial aesthetic consequences exhibited substantial proportional increases. Notably, “Ozempic face” demonstrated a 4600% rise in RSV, and searches for “plastic surgeons Ozempic face” similarly grew markedly.
Public interest in GLP-1 RAs is strongly associated with rising awareness and concern about their facial aesthetic effects. These trends suggest that aesthetic practitioners should expect more patient inquiries regarding GLP-1–related facial changes and should proactively integrate counseling and corrective treatment options into clinical practice.
Menopause is linked to typical skin changes such as textural alterations, loss of skin hydration, elasticity, thinning, and increased fragility. Dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT), a distinct fat component located in the dermis and involved in hair cycle regulation, antimicrobial peptide production, and extracellular matrix (ECM) modulation, decreases with aging and photodamage. Emerging evidence suggests that estrogen contributes to an inhibitory effect on dWAT and promotes fibrotic remodeling of adipose tissue of the dermis.
To examine the mechanistic evidence linking menopause with the loss of dWAT and to suggest and highlight potential strategies for replacing dWAT with agents such as magnolol, which promote the conversion of pre-adipocytes to adipocytes and restore lost fractions of the dWAT compartment.
A review of the literature, a mechanistic examination, a histologic examination, and a clinical trial assessment were conducted.
The loss of dWAT and fibrotic replacement are likely a factor causally linked to the decrease in estrogen observed during menopause. Reduced dWAT produces fewer adipokines such as adiponectin, which is directly involved in skin health by promoting collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) production. Evidence suggests that select non-hormonal agents can offer a potential therapeutic benefit to menopausal skin promoting dWAT restoration through adipogenic pathways.
dWAT depletion likely contributes to menopausal skin changes. Potential candidates for non-hormonal alternatives to address these menopausal concerns are discussed in this paper.
Ablative fractional CO2 laser is effective for acne scar treatment but is often associated with side effects such as erythema and dyspigmentation, along with prolonged recovery time.
The study aimed to evaluate the post-procedure reparative effects of a combination of vitamin C, E, and ferulic acid (CE Ferulic) in Chinese patients with atrophic acne scars.
In this randomized, investigator-blinded, split-face, controlled trial, patients aged 18–50 with moderate-to-severe atrophic acne scars were randomly assigned to apply CE Ferulic to intervention-side face and normal saline (NS) to control-side face, immediately after ablative CO2 laser treatment for 14 days. Patients were further divided into once-daily and twice-daily application subgroups. During the 14-day follow-up, the wound healing (measured by scabbing stage on Day 7), erythema index (EI), melanin index (MI), skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were evaluated. Direct assessment of scar improvement was not within the scope of this study.
Sixty-four patients were included in the analysis. On Day 7, the intervention side showed a higher complete scab detachment rate than the control side (60.9% vs. 34.4%, p = 0.0026). EI and MI reduced significantly greater on the intervention side compared to the control side (Days 3, 7, and 14; p < 0.0001). On Day 14, the intervention side also demonstrated significantly better capability of maintaining skin hydration (p = 0.0367) and preventing TEWL (p = 0.0246) than the control side.
This study found that CE Ferulic led to enhanced wound healing, reduced erythema and melanin levels, and improved skin hydration following laser treatment, suggesting its beneficial application in combination with laser treatment to accelerate skin recovery.
ChiCTR2300078214
Skin boosters are commonly administered into the dermis or immediate subdermal plane using serial puncture technique. Alternative delivery methods, such as blunt cannulas and multiple-needle injector devices, are available, but their ability to achieve comparable clinical outcomes has been under-investigated. This case series presents the first prospective comparative evaluation of CPM-HA20G administered via three different modalities, assessing efficacy, safety, and adverse events, while utilizing ultrasound to confirm product placement. To minimize patient-related variability, a split-face study design was also employed.
To demonstrate the efficacy, safety, and comparability of results when delivering CPM-HA20G via multiple modalities into the immediate subdermal plane.
Fifteen patients received three treatments of CPM-HA20G, four weeks apart, using serial puncture, blunt cannula, and multiple-needle injector device. A separate split-face case compared serial puncture with blunt cannula delivery in the same patient, with ultrasound confirmation of product placement. Satisfaction rates, pain scores, and skin quality were assessed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks.
All 15 patients across the three modalities achieved comparable improvements in skin elasticity, firmness, and hydration. High patient satisfaction was reported, with no serious adverse effects observed. A paired t-test showed pain scores were significantly lower with blunt cannula (mean 2.2) compared with serial puncture (mean 4.6) and injector device (mean 4.5) (p < 0.0001). Blunt cannula delivery was also associated with a lower incidence of bruising, suggesting clinical advantages for patient comfort and recovery.
This case series demonstrates that serial puncture technique, blunt cannula and multiple-needle injector device can be used to deliver safe, comparable, and effective CPM-HA20G treatments. These findings highlight comparable efficacy across modalities and suggest blunt-cannula delivery enhances patient comfort and recovery time.
The platysma muscle plays a pivotal role in the formation of vertical neck bands and contributes to lower facial descent, making it a prime target for botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in aesthetic neck rejuvenation. Conventional protocols typically involve injecting across the entire muscle, necessitating a high number of injection points and larger total doses, which may increase the risk of bruising, patient discomfort, and potential immunogenicity. Recent anatomical studies using Sihler's staining have demonstrated that motor innervation is predominantly concentrated in the upper portion of the platysma.
To evaluate a neural distribution–based BoNT-A injection strategy targeting only the motor-rich upper platysma, compared with the conventional whole-muscle injection approach.
Fifteen patients with prominent platysmal bands received BoNT-A injections (JETEMA THE TOXIN, JETEMA Inc., Korea) in a split-side design: The right platysma was injected using a conventional 30-point technique, and the left platysma received 15 targeted injections in the upper portion based on mapped motor entry points. Efficacy was assessed by the degree of platysmal band relaxation at follow-up.
Both techniques achieved comparable improvement in platysmal band appearance, despite the targeted side requiring 50% fewer injection points.
Motor innervation–guided BoNT-A injections may achieve equivalent clinical outcomes while reducing injection burden, toxin dose, and complication risk.
Fine lines under the lower eyelid are among the earliest and most prominent signs of facial aging. However, despite growing interest in noninvasive aesthetic procedures targeting this area, there is currently no validated clinical scale specifically designed to assess the severity of infraorbital fine lines. Furthermore, existing assessment tools—such as those for lateral canthal lines or infraorbital hollowing—fail to adequately capture the unique characteristics of horizontally oriented fine wrinkles in this region.
To develop and validate a novel photonumeric clinical grading tool, called the PharmaResearch Under Eyelid Fine Line Severity (PULS) scale, for the standardized assessment of infraorbital fine lines.
A total of 53 healthy adults without facial dermatologic conditions were photographed under standardized conditions. From the resulting image set, 73 photographs (53 unique and 20 duplicate images) were selected. Five board-certified dermatologists used our newly developed 5-grade photonumeric scale to independently evaluate the severity of infraorbital fine lines. Inter- and intra-rater reliability was assessed using Fleiss' and Cohen's Kappa, respectively. Agreement rates were also calculated.
Inter-rater reliability analysis yielded a Fleiss' Kappa of 0.6114, indicating good inter-rater agreement. All raters showed perfect intra-rater reliability, with Cohen's Kappa values of 1.0000. The overall agreement rate across all evaluations exceeded 80%, supporting the reproducibility and consistency of the PULS scale.
The PULS scale is a validated, reliable, and practical photonumeric grading tool that can address an unmet need in aesthetic dermatology by facilitating standardized evaluation of treatment outcomes for infraorbital fine lines in both clinical research and routine practice.
Recently, the literature has expanded with peer-reviewed studies on immunomodulatory agents' efficacy on scalp psoriasis—which, in turn, widened knowledge gaps regarding these agents' relative effectiveness. We determined the relative efficacy of immunomodulatory monotherapies for scalp psoriasis.
We ran Bayesian network meta-analyses (NMAs) using outcomes related to Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI) and scalp-specific Physician's Global Assessment of clear (0) or almost clear (1) (Sc-PGA 0/1).
We estimated the relative efficacy of 22 interventions (including placebo), and analyzed 9 outcomes, namely: proportion of participants who attained Sc-PGA 0/1, proportion of participants who achieved 100% improvement in PSSI (PSSI-100), and proportion of participants who achieved 90% improvement in PSSI (PSSI-90) at 8, 12, and 16 weeks.
We are the first to provide comparative evidence on the efficacy of newly investigated agents such as deucravacitinib, tildrakizumab, roflumilast and icotrokinra. In general, the IL-17 inhibitors (bimekizumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, brodalumab) and IL-23 inhibitors (icotrokinra, guselkumab, tildrakizumab) were effective depending upon the outcome and time-point being considered. At 16 weeks, for PSSI-100, ixekizumab 150 mg at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 ranked highest; at 16 weeks, for Sc-PGA 0/1 bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks ranked highest; at 8 weeks, for PSSI-100 ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks ranked highest; at 8 weeks, for Sc-PGA 0/1 secukinumab 300 mg at weeks 1, 2, 3 and then every 4 weeks ranked highest. Small-molecule therapies (apremilast, deucravacitinib, roflumilast) improved scalp psoriasis modestly. Our work would guide the design of future studies and clinical decision-making.
Melasma is a chronic, relapsing hyperpigmentation disorder driven by complex interactions among genetic predisposition, hormonal fluctuations, UV exposure, oxidative stress, inflammation, and photoaging. Its psychosocial impact is substantial, especially among women with darker skin types, and treatment remains challenging due to its multifactorial pathogenesis and high recurrence rates.
This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on melasma pathophysiology, highlight recent innovations in topical and procedural therapies, identify limitations of existing treatments, and outline future directions toward personalized and regenerative approaches.
A narrative literature review was performed, summarizing findings from epidemiologic studies, molecular investigations, and clinical trials. Key topics included pigment biology, hormonal and environmental triggers, oxidative stress pathways, emerging depigmenting agents, laser and microneedling technologies, combination therapies, and advances in precision medicine.
Melasma arises from dysregulated melanogenesis involving hyperactive melanocytes, hormonal stimulation, UV-induced oxidative stress, dermal inflammation, fibroblast senescence, and pigmentary incontinence. Innovations include non-hydroquinone brighteners (e.g., thiamidol, melasyl), antioxidants, tranexamic acid, and improved topical delivery systems. Procedural advances—such as low-fluence picosecond lasers, fractional CO2 laser–assisted drug delivery, chemical peel hybrids, and exosome-augmented microneedling—offer enhanced pigment clearance with improved safety profiles. Nevertheless, treatment durability remains limited by relapse, heterogeneous disease subtypes, PIH risk, and inconsistent adherence.
Melasma management is evolving toward multi-target, combination-based strategies addressing pigmentation, inflammation, and photoaging simultaneously. Emerging regenerative technologies, biomarker-driven personalization, and AI-assisted assessment hold promise for improving long-term outcomes, though standardized protocols and long-term safety data are still needed.
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