Objective: To compare the safety and effectiveness of small particle hyaluronic acid plus lidocaine (SPHAL) versus no treatment for lip augmentation and perioral rhytides.
Methods and materials: Adults scoring 1 (very thin) to 2 (thin) on the Medicis Lip Fullness Scale (MLFS) for upper and lower lips were randomized (3:1) to SPHAL or no treatment. Treatment success was an MLFS increase ≥1 point at Week 8. Secondary end points (MLFS score, independent photographic review, Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale, Wrinkle Assessment Scale for Upper Lip Lines) and safety were assessed throughout.
Results: Statistically significantly more patients were treatment successes with SPHAL (upper lip [80.2% vs 11.9%], lower lip [84.2% vs 18.4%], and upper and lower lips combined [76.1% vs 11.6%]), compared with no treatment (p <.001, all outcomes). Patients treated for both lip augmentation and perioral rhytides were rated as having an aesthetically meaningful improvement in perioral rhytides (p <.001). Most common treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) included lip bruising, swelling, and pain and were mostly mild and transient in nature, without anticipated device AEs.
Conclusion: Small particle hyaluronic acid plus lidocaine was effective and well tolerated and significantly more effective when both lips and perioral rhytides were treated, with improvement evident up to 6 months after treatment.