{
  "abstract": "Background Botulinum toxin is the most widely performed nonsurgical aesthetic procedure globally, but efficacy data in Indian skin phototypes remain limited. Objective This study aims to evaluate the efficacy (primary endpoint: complete resolution at week 1) and safety of Stunnox™ (botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A); Gufic Biosciences, India) in Indian adults with Fitzpatrick III-V skin and grade 1-2 glabellar frown lines (GFL) and forehead lines (FL) over 20 weeks. Methods In this prospective, single-center, single-arm, open-label, investigator-initiated study, 77 Fitzpatrick III-V adults received Stunnox™ (BoNT-A; Gufic Biosciences, India) for GFL (individualized at the injector's discretion, 9-17 U; mean 12.4 U) and FL (fixed 20 U). Fifty patients completed the full 20-week follow-up (mean age: 32.7 ± 5.7 years) and were scored on the Facial Wrinkle Scale (FWS) (0-3, dynamic expression) at baseline and post-treatment weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20. Analysis was restricted to the completers (50/77; 64.9%). Results Complete resolution was observed at the first assessment (week 1) for both regions (GFL: 1.64 to 0; FL: 1.18 to 0; p < 0.0001), sustained through week 12 (GFL) and 16 (FL). Partial recurrence appeared by week 20 (GFL 1.02; FL 0.96), still significantly below baseline (p < 0.001); one patient (2%) had early GFL recurrence. No serious adverse events occurred; five patients had transient brow heaviness for four weeks without ptosis. By week 20, 38% (GFL) and 78% (FL) of patients had returned to their baseline grade. Exploratory severity-based glabellar dosing (Grade 1: 10.7 U; Grade 2: 13.3 U) was used without a fixed-dose comparator. Conclusions Stunnox™ showed promising early efficacy and short-term tolerability for GFL and FL in Indian adults, with partial recurrence by week 20.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Dermatology, Mehektagul Dermaclinic, New Delhi, IND.",
    "Dermatology, Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, IND.",
    "Medical Affairs, Gufic BioSciences, Mumbai, IND."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Sandeep Arora"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Gulhima Arora"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Rajesh S Lalchandani"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/drbf9bvw7v49e.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.7759/cureus.118681",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13716149",
  "id": "drbf9bvw7v49e",
  "issns": [
    "2168-8184"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953836",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Dermatology"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Therapeutics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2708|Facial Rejuvenation and Surgery Techniques"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223865722",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13716149?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13716149",
  "pmid": "42953836",
  "published": "2026-10-27",
  "publisher": "Cureus Inc.",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/drbf9bvw7v49e.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:40Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42953836",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953836"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:23:12Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13716149",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.118681"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2708|Facial Rejuvenation and Surgery Techniques",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Efficacy and Safety of Stunnox™ (Botulinum Toxin Type A) for the Treatment of Glabellar Frown Lines and Forehead Lines: A Prospective Observational Study in an Indian Cohort.",
  "title_text": "Efficacy and Safety of Stunnox™ (Botulinum Toxin Type A) for the Treatment of Glabellar Frown Lines and Forehead Lines: A Prospective Observational Study in an Indian Cohort.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:23:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/drbf9bvw7v49e",
  "venue": "Cureus",
  "versions": []
}