Skinvive: Do You Need Retreatment Every Six Months?

Skinvive’s six-month results do not mean everyone needs another treatment every six months. We distinguish the period over which an effect was observed from an individual’s retreatment schedule. A study’s assessment timeline alone cannot determine your next treatment date.

What did the six-month result measure?

The US Food and Drug Administration’s 2023 approval overview describes a clinical trial involving 209 participants in which improvement in cheek skin smoothness lasted at least six months. That finding applies to the area treated and the outcome measured.

It does not guarantee the same effect for everyone or mean that the effect disappears after six months. The US approval information should not be treated as identical to South Korean approval terms.

Retreatment was optional in the study

According to Allergan’s US Directions for Use, the cheek study allowed a touch-up approximately 30 days after the initial treatment when needed. The treatment group was later offered retreatment six months after the last treatment, and 79 participants chose it.

A touch-up to refine the initial result is different from later retreatment. The study’s timing was also six months after the last treatment, not necessarily six months after the first session.

This study schedule does not establish the optimal interval for everyone.

What should you discuss before another treatment?

If you are considering retreatment, prepare the following information for your consultation:

• The date of your previous treatment and whether you had a touch-up.
• The skin concerns that remain.
• Any uncomfortable reactions after your previous treatment.

Allergan’s US Directions for Use states that treatment should be postponed if there is active inflammation or infection at the treatment site, until it is controlled. It also lists a history of anaphylaxis or multiple severe allergies, and allergies to lidocaine or gram-positive bacterial proteins, as contraindications. Be sure to disclose these histories before treatment.

The same directions warn that injection into a blood vessel can cause rare but serious complications, including vision impairment or skin necrosis (tissue death).

Consider your current skin condition and previous reactions, rather than the calendar alone. Six months passing is not, by itself, a reason to schedule retreatment. Discuss both the need for another treatment and its risks before deciding.