A more considered reading

How long does it last? Read the endpoint first.

A guide to separating duration of improvement, patient satisfaction, treatment intervals and repeat-treatment follow-up.

Clinical context · September 2026

Name the outcome.#

A severity score, patient satisfaction and a tissue marker measure different things. In the abobotulinumtoxinA study, improvement and satisfaction at day 150 were different outcomes even within the same treatment group.[1]

Reconstruct the treatment course.#

Check how many initial sessions and touch-ups were allowed. The Sculptra cheek trial allowed repeated treatments. The older Belotero extension also permitted retreatment; its follow-up length is not the duration of one injection.[2][3]

Keep the site and population attached.#

The VOLUMA two-year patient-outcome paper studied midface volume deficit. Applying that duration to a different area would require separate evidence.[4]

Read the footnote under the duration table.#

The February 2026 German and British Belotero Balance Lidocaine IFUs list 17 days for marionette lines, with a footnote identifying a 17-day study follow-up and ongoing data collection. That is a limit of the cited observation, not proof that the product stops working on day 18.[5][6]

A practical reading rule.#

When citing persistence, state the product, anatomical area, treatment course, endpoint, assessment time and proportion still responding. If the abstract omits a denominator, confidence interval or retreatment detail, keep that uncertainty visible.[4][1][2]

Explore the relevant products

Azzalure ↗Juvéderm Voluma XC ↗Belotero Balance (+) ↗Sculptra ↗

Source documents

  1. [1] Monheit et al. — abobotulinumtoxinA response and satisfaction ↗Dermatologic Surgery, 2020 · PMID 31356432 · Abstract accessed · Checked 2026-09-06
  2. [2] Sculptra — randomized cheek-wrinkle trial ↗Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2024 · PMID 38206151 · Abstract accessed · Checked 2026-09-06
  3. [3] BELOTERO BALANCE (+) US instructions for use ↗Merz Aesthetics · Document accessed · Checked 2026-09-06
  4. [4] VOLUMA XC — patient-reported outcomes at two years ↗Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2015 · PMID 25964628 · Abstract accessed · Checked 2026-09-06
  5. [5] BELOTERO Balance Lidocaine German instructions for use ↗Merz Aesthetics · Document accessed · Checked 2026-09-06
  6. [6] BELOTERO Balance Lidocaine Great Britain instructions for use ↗Merz Aesthetics · Document accessed · Checked 2026-09-06