A well-known dermatologist on Wednesday stressed the need for consumers to put the tolerance of botulinum toxin (BTX) products ahead of all else in getting injections.

At an online conference held by the Korean Society for Cosmetic Dermatology, Vice-Chairman Seo Koo-il emphasized the importance of understanding the difference in the perception of tolerance of BTX between professionals and patients.

The meeting aimed to provide information on the safety and tolerance of BTX products to health providers and consumers to establish a safe culture of using BTX in the nation and share know-how to prevent or cope with the formation of antibodies after repetitive injections.

"BTX products have been used for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes in treating disorders such as stroke, migraine, and overactive bladder, and the spectrum has continued to expand," Seo said. "The public needs to be well aware of the tolerance of BTX products."

Seo noted that more and more patients are receiving BTX treatment, and the age group is getting younger. But, at the same time, there is a significant gap between the consumer and experts' perception of tolerance matters.

According to a survey performed by the association, more than half of the patients received their first BTX injection in their 20s. Among them, 32 percent were aged between 20 and 24, indicating they received BTX procedures at a young age.

Eight out of 10 experts answered that they were aware of the tolerance issue when asked related questions in detail. However, only 7 percent of consumers prioritized tolerance problems before receiving the procedures. Asked whether they have specific information, 48 to 75 percent acknowledged they lacked information about tolerance.

"About 40 percent of experts did not explain the tolerance issue to patients thoroughly despite knowing the problems that could follow after," Seo said. "Providing information about tolerance and consulting ways to prevent or deal with tolerance that has already been built up is a vital issue for patients, so health providers should not neglect such counseling."

Seo explained that although the incidence of resistance developed in cosmetic procedures has been reported relatively lower than therapeutic purposes, patients might find it difficult to use BTX products for medicinal purposes once they develop resistance.

He stressed that BTX products should be used within a month and try to avoid unnecessarily high doses.

In addition to the resistance to BTX, if patients develop neutralizing antibodies against it, Seo explained the correlation between the Covid-19 vaccine and filler treatment, which has recently become an issue.

A report presented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed that only three cases of side effects occurred among 30,000 patients who participated in the clinical trial. The symptoms were mild and treated with oral treatments.

"There is no reason to hesitate to receive the Covid-19 vaccine because of the filler procedure. However, we recommend patients to receive fillers after two weeks of the second vaccination," Seo said.