Microtox Singapore: Microbotulinum Toxin for Pores, Oily Skin, Skin Texture & Scars

Microtox in Singapore, also known as microbotulinum toxin or intradermal Botox, is a versatile aesthetic treatment that may help improve enlarged pores, oily skin, fine lines, uneven skin texture, facial redness, jawline definition, neck lines and selected surgical scars, hypertrophic scars and keloids.

Microtox in Singapore at a Glance - Why choose Nee Soon Clinic

Individual results vary.

Microtox, also called microbotulinum toxin, intradermal botulinum toxin or microdroplet botulinum toxin, is a technique in which small amounts of botulinum toxin type A are injected superficially at multiple points across the skin.

Unlike conventional botulinum toxin treatment, which usually targets specific facial muscles, Microtox is placed mainly within the intradermal or very superficial subdermal plane.

Depending on the indication, Microtox may be considered for:

• enlarged pores

• excessive sebum and oily skin

• fine superficial lines

• uneven skin texture

• selected facial redness or flushing

• subtle lower-face and jawline refinement

• superficial neck lines and platysmal activity

• selected postoperative scars

• hypertrophic scars and keloids as part of scar management

The technique, dose, depth and treatment pattern vary significantly according to the clinical problem.

A pore treatment is not performed in the same way as treatment for a fresh surgical scar or a hypertrophic scar.

What Is Microtox Singapore?

Microtox uses multiple small-volume injections of botulinum toxin type A placed superficially across the skin.

The objective is usually not complete muscular paralysis.

Superficial administration may influence:

• superficial muscle fibres attached to the skin

• sebaceous activity

• cholinergic signalling

• sweat gland activity

• cutaneous neurovascular signalling

• local inflammatory pathways

• mechanical tension across selected scars

This makes Microtox a different treatment strategy from deeper neuromuscular injection.

How Does Microtox Work?

Botulinum toxin type A inhibits acetylcholine release from cholinergic nerve endings by interfering with proteins required for neurotransmitter release.

Its best-established effect is reduction of muscle contraction.

With intradermal treatment, additional effects may occur within the skin and superficial tissues.

1. Sebum Regulation

Clinical studies suggest that intradermal botulinum toxin may reduce facial sebum production.

Possible mechanisms include modulation of:

• cholinergic signalling

• arrector pili activity

• sebaceous gland signalling

• surrounding neural pathways

In a prospective study of patients with oily skin, sebum production was significantly reduced at:

• 1 week

• 1 month

• 2 months

• 3 months

after intradermal treatment.

Approximately 91% of participants reported satisfaction, with subjective improvement in oiliness.

Microtox Singapore for Oily Skin

Excess facial sebum can contribute to:

• persistent shine

• enlarged pores

• makeup instability

• congestion

• comedones

• acne-prone skin

For suitable patients, Microtox may reduce excessive sebum activity without eliminating normal sebaceous function.

Clinical studies and systematic reviews have reported measurable reductions in sebum production after intradermal botulinum toxin treatment.

The effect may be particularly useful in patients with both oily skin and prominent pores.

Microtox for Enlarged Pores

Pore visibility is influenced by several factors:

• sebaceous activity

• skin elasticity

• age

• acne

• follicular structure

• ultraviolet exposure

• genetics

Microtox does not remove pores.

Instead, reduced sebum activity and changes in superficial tissue tension may make pores appear less prominent.

A clinical study using diluted intradermal incobotulinumtoxinA found improvement in:

• sebum production

• pore appearance

• facial laxity

• lower-face contour

Changes were detectable at approximately 1 week, greatest at around 4 weeks, and remained measurable at 12 weeks.

Meta-analyses have also reported statistically significant improvements in pore measurements, although treatment protocols vary considerably between studies.

Microtox for Skin Texture

Microtox is increasingly studied as a skin-quality treatment.

Reported improvements include:

• smoother texture

• reduced facial shine

• reduced pore prominence

• improvement in fine lines

• subtle tightening

• improved surface regularity

A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating intradermal botulinum toxin studies reported improvement in:

• sebum production

• pore size

• skin texture

• wrinkles

• erythema

• selected lifting or elasticity parameters

However, the evidence did not demonstrate a consistent increase in skin hydration.

Microtox should therefore not be considered a hydration treatment.

Microtox for Fine Lines

Fine lines can result from repeated superficial muscular activity, loss of elasticity, photodamage and dermal ageing.

Microtox may reduce superficial muscular pull while preserving more natural movement than deeper neuromuscular treatment.

It may be considered for:

• fine cheek lines

• superficial lower-face lines

• subtle forehead texture

• fine neck lines

Deeper folds caused by volume loss, marked laxity or structural ageing usually require a different treatment approach.

Microtox for Facial Contouring

Microtox may be used in selected patients to influence superficial depressor muscles and platysmal fibres.

Treatment areas can include:

• lower face

• jawline

• mandibular border

• chin

• corners of the mouth

• upper neck

• platysmal region

Clinical studies have reported improvement in:

• jawline definition

• lower-face contour

• jowling

• superficial platysmal activity

• selected neck contour parameters

The effect is usually subtle refinement, not structural lifting.

Microtox for the Jawline and Neck

The lower face is influenced by several muscles, including:

• platysma

• depressor anguli oris

• depressor labii inferioris

• mentalis

• orbicularis oris

Superficial microdroplet treatment can be used to reduce selected superficial downward pull.

Potential treatment goals include:

• improved mandibular definition

• softer neck creases

• reduced superficial platysmal banding

• refinement of the lower-face contour

Because the muscles controlling the mouth and smile are closely positioned, precise injection depth and placement are essential.

Excessive diffusion may temporarily alter facial movement.

Microtox for Facial Redness

Intradermal botulinum toxin has also been studied for persistent facial erythema and flushing.

Potential mechanisms include modulation of:

• neurogenic inflammation

• cholinergic signalling

• vascular activity

• inflammatory neuropeptides

Randomised clinical studies in patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea have reported reductions in:

• clinician-assessed erythema

• objectively measured redness

• vascular density

• background erythema

This remains a specialised indication.

Facial redness should be properly diagnosed before treatment.

Microtox for Post-Acne Redness

Microtox has also been investigated for post-acne erythema.

Clinical data suggest possible improvement in:

• erythema

• sebum production

• persistent post-inflammatory redness

However, post-acne redness is different from structural acne scarring.

Atrophic acne scars such as:

• ice-pick scars

• boxcar scars

• rolling scars

involve loss, tethering or remodelling of dermal tissue.

Microtox alone is unlikely to correct substantial structural acne scarring.

Microtox for Scars

Scar treatment requires accurate diagnosis.

A scar may be:

• newly healed

• red and immature

• widening

• hypertrophic

• keloidal

• mature and flat

• depressed

• tethered

• painful

• itchy

These scar types behave differently and should not receive the same treatment by default.

Botulinum toxin type A has been studied particularly for:

• postoperative scar prevention

• facial surgical scars

• hypertrophic scars

• keloids

The treatment technique may involve superficial injection, perilesional injection or direct scar-directed injection depending on the indication.

Why Botulinum Toxin May Help Surgical Scars

A healing incision is affected by mechanical tension.

Repeated movement from underlying muscles may increase force across an immature wound.

This can contribute to:

• scar widening

• increased thickness

• inflammation

• less favourable collagen organisation

Temporary reduction of muscular contraction can decrease tension across the healing incision.

This concept is sometimes described as chemical immobilisation of the wound environment.

Reducing mechanical stress during early healing may support a narrower and more cosmetically favourable scar.

Evidence for Botulinum Toxin in Surgical Scars

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated 19 studies involving 686 patients.

Compared with control treatment, botulinum toxin type A was associated with statistically significant improvements in:

• Vancouver Scar Scale

• scar width

• visual scar appearance

• Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale

• Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale

• patient satisfaction

Reported pooled differences included:

• Vancouver Scar Scale: approximately -1.07

• scar width: approximately -0.21

• visual analogue scar score: approximately +1.18

• Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale: approximately +1.64

• patient satisfaction: approximately 1.8 times higher

Adverse effects were generally mild and temporary.

The available studies nevertheless used different doses, injection techniques and surgical sites.

Microtox After Surgery

Some studies have investigated botulinum toxin soon after wound closure.

Published protocols have included treatment:

• immediately after surgery

• within the first several days after surgery

Randomised facial scar studies have reported improvements in measures such as:

• scar width

• scar height

• overall visual appearance

The rationale is strongest where muscle movement places substantial tension across a cosmetically important wound.

Scar treatment must still be coordinated with:

• wound closure

• postoperative care

• infection prevention

• scar maturation

Microtox for Hypertrophic Scars

Hypertrophic scars remain within the boundaries of the original injury but may become:

• raised

• firm

• red

• itchy

• uncomfortable

Their development involves excessive fibroblast activity and collagen deposition.

Botulinum toxin has been investigated for possible effects on:

• fibroblast activity

• transforming growth factor signalling

• collagen synthesis

• mechanical tension

• inflammatory signalling

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials reported significant improvement in overall Vancouver Scar Scale scores.

Pooled improvement was approximately:

-1.69 points.

Scar pliability also improved significantly.

However, improvement in individual components such as pigmentation, vascularity and height was not consistent across all studies.

Microtox for Keloids

Keloids differ from hypertrophic scars because they extend beyond the original wound margin.

They have a strong fibroproliferative component and may continue growing after the original wound has healed.

Treatment options may include:

• intralesional corticosteroid

• selected intralesional combinations

• silicone-based scar therapy

• pressure therapy

• energy-based treatments

• surgery in selected cases

• botulinum toxin as part of selected treatment plans

A recent network meta-analysis evaluating intralesional treatments for hypertrophic scars and keloids reported meaningful treatment-response efficacy with botulinum toxin.

However, multimodal treatment remains important because no single therapy is consistently effective for every keloid.

Can Microtox Treat Old Scars?

Possibly, but treatment goals depend on the scar.

For a mature scar, the dominant problem may be:

• redness

• thickness

• widening

• firmness

• pigmentation

• tethering

• depression

• textural irregularity

• pain or itch

Reducing muscular tension becomes less important once a scar is fully mature.

Old scars may therefore require additional or alternative treatments depending on their structure.

Microtox for Fresh Scars vs Old Scars

Fresh postoperative scars

The aim may include:

• reducing tension

• limiting widening

• supporting more favourable early remodelling

Hypertrophic scars

Treatment may focus on:

• thickness

• firmness

• redness

• itch

• excessive collagen activity

Mature flat scars

Treatment may focus on:

• colour

• texture

• width

• surrounding skin quality

Atrophic scars

Treatment usually focuses on:

• dermal loss

• tethering

• volume deficit

• collagen remodelling

This is why scar type must be assessed before treatment.

How Is Microtox Performed?

Treatment begins with clinical assessment.

Depending on the indication, the doctor evaluates:

• skin thickness

• oil production

• pore distribution

• facial muscle activity

• lower-face anatomy

• platysmal activity

• facial erythema

• scar type

• scar age

• scar thickness

• scar tension

• previous treatments

The skin is cleansed and small amounts of botulinum toxin type A are injected at multiple sites.

For facial skin-quality treatment, injections are generally placed in the:

• intradermal plane

• immediate superficial subdermal plane

For scars, treatment depth and location may differ considerably.

There is no single universal Microtox dose, dilution or injection pattern.

Published studies use different:

• toxin formulations

• concentrations

• total doses

• injection volumes

• treatment grids

• anatomical targets

Treatment should therefore be individualised.

Where Can Microtox Be Used?

Depending on the indication and anatomy, treatment areas may include:

• forehead

• glabella

• nose

• cheeks

• lower face

• chin

• jawline

• neck

Published intradermal protocols have included treatment of:

• lateral face

• anteromedial cheek

• mandibular line

• depressor anguli oris region

• glabella

• chin

A fixed injection template should not replace anatomical assessment.

When Does Microtox Start Working?

Botulinum toxin type A does not reach full effect immediately.

Initial changes may appear within several days.

For skin-quality indications, measurable improvements have been reported from approximately 1 week.

In one intradermal study:

• improvement was present at 1 week

• greatest improvement occurred around 4 weeks

• benefits remained measurable at 12 weeks

Scar improvement takes longer because collagen remodelling continues for months.

How Long Does Microtox Last?

Duration varies according to:

• dose

• concentration

• treatment area

• injection depth

• toxin formulation

• muscle activity

• individual biology

Many skin-quality studies evaluate outcomes over approximately 3 months.

Repeat treatment should depend on clinical response rather than a fixed schedule.

Possible Side Effects

Short-term injection-related effects may include:

• redness

• mild swelling

• pinpoint bleeding

• bruising

• tenderness

• temporary raised injection points

Possible toxin-related effects depend on treatment location and diffusion.

These may include:

• temporary facial asymmetry

• altered smile

• lip weakness

• eyebrow asymmetry

• eyelid position changes

• neck weakness

• altered movement of nearby muscles

Lower-face treatment requires particularly careful anatomical placement because several muscles responsible for lip movement, speech and expression lie close together.

Who May Not Be Suitable for Microtox?

Suitability requires medical assessment.

Treatment may be unsuitable or require additional evaluation in patients with:

• active infection at the treatment site

• hypersensitivity to components of the selected product

• certain neuromuscular disorders

• medicines affecting neuromuscular transmission

• pregnancy or breastfeeding depending on individual circumstances

• unrealistic expectations

• a condition better treated using another modality

Patients should provide a complete medication and medical history before treatment.

Microtox vs Conventional Botulinum Toxin Treatment

The two techniques use the same class of medication but differ in treatment depth and purpose.

Conventional neuromuscular treatment

Usually involves:

• deeper injection

• selected muscle targets

• stronger local reduction in muscular contraction

It is primarily used for dynamic expression lines and specific muscular patterns.

Microtox

Usually involves:

• multiple small injections

• superficial intradermal placement

• broader treatment of skin and superficial tissues

It may be considered for:

• enlarged pores

• oily skin

• fine lines

• texture

• selected redness

• superficial lower-face contouring

• selected scar indications

Both approaches may sometimes be used within the same treatment plan.

Microtox vs Skin Boosters

Microtox and injectable skin boosters work through different mechanisms.

Microtox primarily influences:

• neuromuscular signalling

• glandular activity

• superficial tissue tension

• neurovascular signalling

Skin boosters typically aim to improve:

• hydration

• dermal water content

• extracellular matrix characteristics

Clinical meta-analysis of intradermal botulinum toxin demonstrates improvement in several skin-quality parameters but does not show consistent improvement in hydration.

Microtox should therefore not be considered equivalent to an injectable hydration treatment.

How Many Microtox Sessions Are Needed?

There is no universal treatment course.

For skin-quality indications, response may be assessed after a single treatment before deciding whether repeat treatment is appropriate.

For scars, the number and timing of treatments depend on:

• scar age

• scar type

• location

• mechanical tension

• previous scar behaviour

• previous treatment

• treatment response

Hypertrophic scars and keloids often require multimodal management.

Can Microtox Prevent Scars?

No treatment can completely prevent scar formation after a full-thickness skin injury.

The more accurate objective is to determine whether botulinum toxin may help produce a:

• narrower

• flatter

• less conspicuous

• more cosmetically favourable scar in selected patients.

Current clinical evidence suggests that it may improve scar width and overall scar quality, particularly where muscular movement produces significant tension across the healing wound.

Can Microtox Remove a Scar?

No treatment can completely restore injured skin to its original pre-injury state.

Scar treatment aims to improve specific features such as:

• width

• thickness

• redness

• firmness

• pigmentation

• texture

• contour

• pain

• itch

Microtox may be useful for selected scar characteristics but is not appropriate for every scar.

What Does the Medical Evidence Show?

Current medical literature supports potential benefit in several areas.

Sebum production

Clinical studies and pooled analyses show measurable reductions in facial sebum.

Enlarged pores

Controlled studies suggest improvement in pore visibility, particularly in patients with oily skin.

Fine lines

Systematic reviews report improvement in superficial wrinkle measurements.

Skin texture

Multiple studies report smoother and more regular skin texture.

Facial erythema

Randomised studies suggest benefit in selected patients with rosacea-related redness.

Lower-face and neck contour

Clinical studies describe improvement in jawline definition, superficial platysmal activity and selected neck parameters.

Scar quality

A 2026 meta-analysis of 19 studies involving 686 patients reported significant improvements in scar-quality scores, scar width and patient satisfaction.

The evidence must still be interpreted carefully because published studies differ in:

• toxin formulation

• concentration

• total dose

• injection depth

• treatment area

• outcome measurement

• follow-up duration

Microtox should therefore be considered an indication-specific and technique-dependent treatment, rather than one standardised procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Microtox?

Microtox is a superficial microdroplet technique using small amounts of botulinum toxin type A injected into or immediately beneath the skin.

Is Microtox suitable for enlarged pores?

Clinical studies suggest it may reduce pore prominence, particularly where enlarged pores coexist with increased sebum production.

Does Microtox reduce oily skin?

Studies have demonstrated measurable reductions in facial sebum after intradermal treatment.

Can Microtox improve skin texture?

Yes. Clinical studies report improvement in surface texture, pores, fine lines and selected skin-quality measurements.

Can Microtox treat facial redness?

It has been studied for rosacea-related erythema and persistent facial flushing. Suitability depends on the cause of redness.

Can Microtox improve the jawline?

Superficial treatment of selected lower-face and platysmal fibres may produce subtle jawline refinement in suitable patients.

Can Microtox be used on the neck?

Yes. Published techniques include treatment of superficial platysmal activity, horizontal neck lines and selected contour concerns.

Can Microtox improve surgical scars?

Evidence suggests botulinum toxin type A may improve selected postoperative scars by reducing tension across the healing wound.

Can Microtox treat hypertrophic scars?

Clinical trials and meta-analyses suggest potential improvement in overall scar severity and pliability.

Can Microtox treat keloids?

It has been studied as an intralesional treatment for keloids, usually as part of a broader scar-management strategy.

Can Microtox treat old scars?

Possibly. Treatment depends on whether the main issue is thickness, width, redness, texture, tethering, depression or another scar characteristic.

Is Microtox permanent?

No. The biological effects of botulinum toxin type A are temporary.

When will I see results?

Skin-quality changes may begin within approximately one week, with many studies showing more visible improvement by several weeks. Scar improvement develops more gradually over months.

Microtox Singapore at Nee Soon Clinic

At Nee Soon Clinic, Microtox treatment begins with identifying the underlying problem.

Different concerns require different treatment strategies.

For example:

• oily skin is different from dry but pore-visible skin

• superficial fine lines are different from deep structural folds

• facial redness is different from active acne

• a fresh postoperative scar is different from a mature scar

• a hypertrophic scar is different from an atrophic acne scar

Assessment may include:

• pore prominence

• sebum activity

• facial muscle pattern

• jawline anatomy

• platysmal activity

• skin texture

• facial erythema

• scar type

• scar age

• scar thickness

• scar pliability

• scar tension

• previous treatments

The aim is to determine whether Microtox is appropriate for the specific clinical concern, and if so, which injection depth, distribution and treatment strategy are most suitable.

Disclaimer:The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The content is not intended to be a comprehensive source of information and should not be relied upon as such. Reliance on any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk. The authors and the publisher do not endorse or recommend any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned in the article. Any reliance on the information in this article is solely at the reader's own risk.