Avaliação dos efeitos da toxina botulínica tipo A (botox) a longo prazo: Benefícios estéticos versus potenciais riscos à saúde

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Botulinum toxin type A is a neurotoxin widely employed in aesthetic and therapeutic medicine, validated by its ability to induce temporary muscular paralysis through the inhibition of acetylcholine release at nerve terminals. Its application has evolved from treating severe neuromuscular disorders to becoming the gold standard for managing dynamic facial wrinkles and treating functional conditions such as chronic migraine and hyperhidrosis. However, its continuous and prolonged use has raised critical concerns regarding sustained safety and efficacy, including the risk of developing immunological resistance, localized muscle atrophy, and psychosocial impacts (hypomimia and aesthetic dependence). The objective of this study is to perform an integrative literature review to critically analyze the benefits and challenges of long-term use, incorporating the relevance of the formulation’s rheological properties for clinical predictability. The adopted methodology was qualitative and descriptive, involving the selection of articles indexed in the SciELO, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases, utilizing key descriptors such as "botulinum toxin," "prolonged use," "adverse effects," and "clinical safety." The analysis results indicate that, although botulinum toxin maintains a high safety profile in the short term, its recurrent use demands strict attention to factors like formulation diffusion and cumulative dosage. Therefore, we conclude that botulinum toxin, despite being effective and minimally invasive, must be employed with maximum technical and pharmacological rigor, grounded in the knowledge of its rheological properties, to ensure sustained efficacy, safety, and the preservation of aesthetic naturalness in long-term interventions.