# The Patient Voice in Aesthetic Medicine: Findings From a Global Survey of Cosmetic Neurotoxin Patients

## TL;DR

This study explores how patients' positive and negative experiences with cosmetic neurotoxin treatments influence their actions and communication with healthcare providers and others.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into patient behavior following cosmetic neurotoxin treatments, focusing on how satisfaction levels affect downstream actions.

## Key findings

- After positive experiences, 81% of patients took actions directed at their healthcare professional and others.
- Following negative experiences, 58% engaged with their HCP and 52% discouraged others from using the same provider.
- Patients were less likely to inform their HCP of dissatisfaction after negative experiences.

## Abstract

Patient satisfaction following cosmetic neurotoxin treatment has been widely studied, but little is known about how this affects downstream behavior.

To investigate the actions taken by patients following cosmetic neurotoxin injection, with regard to their most and least positive treatment experiences.

This was an online, self-administered survey conducted among adults residing in Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, and United States. Eligible participants had received 4 or more previous neurotoxin treatments to temporarily improve the appearance of upper facial lines, at least one of which was in the past 12 months.

A total of 1612 respondents completed the questionnaire (61% female; mean age: 38.1 ± 9.6 years). After their most positive experience, 81% said they engaged in actions directed toward their healthcare professional (HCP) (eg, scheduled another treatment or posted a review on the HCP's website), and 81% took actions directed at others (eg, talked to friends and family or posted a review online). After their least positive experience, 58% engaged in actions directed toward their HCP (with 22% expressing dissatisfaction directly), and 73% took actions to inform other people; many said they discouraged others from using their HCP (52%) or from seeking cosmetic neurotoxin injections altogether (27%).

Respondents were less likely to inform their HCP of their satisfaction level after their least positive experience of cosmetic neurotoxin treatment compared with the most positive. Thus, practitioners may often be unaware of dissatisfied individuals. Patient-centered care and consistent proactive follow-up are essential to understanding patient perspectives on outcomes.

5 (Therapeutic)