CHARLOTTE, NC

Wrinkle and Aesthetics Clinical Trials

1 study is enrolling for frown lines near Charlotte NC right now. Notably, this is a healthy volunteer study, so you would be trading time and cosmetic risk rather than seeking treatment for an illness. You may be compensated for your time, and no insurance is needed.

1

Open Near Charlotte

9

Month Toxin Wash Out

+/- $100

Per Visit

New here? Read how this page works

First, the disqualifiers here are unusual, and two of them catch nearly everybody by surprise. So here is the order to work through.

  1. Count back nine months for any toxin you have had. Because any botulinum toxin anywhere on your body rules you out, including toxin given for migraine or sweating.
  2. Check whether you have had microblading in the last six months. Notably, brow pigment interferes with the study photographs, so it disqualifies.
  3. Ask which part of the study you are being offered. In fact, one part has a dummy and the other gives everyone the real product, and those are very different deals.
  4. Finally, tap the button. Then we check you against every study we track and tell you when a new one opens.

Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.

The Study Enrolling Near Charlotte Right Now

It is open today. So check your eligibility, or read the full record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

The one study open here

It is a healthy volunteer study rather than a treatment for an illness. So weigh it on time, payment and cosmetic risk.

A New Frown Line Injection, Tested Against a Dummy

Ipsen / Late stage injection

Corabotase is a botulinum toxin, so it relaxes the small muscles between your eyebrows. It is not a filler, and it adds nothing under the skin. The muscles stop pulling, so the frown lines soften over the following days. Notably, the effect wears off as the muscle recovers, exactly like the approved products. This one is designed to be re dosed less often.

Late stage study, 1,300 people Recruiting

Payment is not published.

Check eligibility →
More details

Why researchers are excited: five toxins are already approved for frown lines, so a sixth has to offer something different. Meanwhile, the thing being chased here is a longer gap between treatments.

Who this study is looking for

  • Adults 18 to 80
  • Also, moderate or severe frown lines at maximum frown
  • Besides that, you and the doctor must agree on that grade
  • Finally, you must rate yourself unhappy with your lines
  • Also, lines that soften when the skin is stretched

Probably not a fit if: any botulinum toxin anywhere on your body in the past 9 months rules you out. That includes toxin for migraine, sweating or jaw clenching. Also, eyebrow microblading in the past 6 months, and a diagnosed anxiety or depression condition.

  • Placebo group: Yes in the blinded part. However, an open part exists where everyone gets the real product.
  • How long: Up to 107 weeks, which is about two years. That covers up to four treatment cycles.
  • Clinic visits: Several visits in the first month after each injection. Then about one a month.
  • Phone calls: Not published on the public record.
  • Most invasive part: Several small injections between the eyebrows, up to four times. Also, blood tests, heart tracings and set photographs at every visit.
  • Setting: Outpatient.
  • Where it runs: Dermatology, Laser and Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte NC 28207.
  • Drive from Charlotte: This practice sits just outside uptown, so it is about ten minutes from the centre.
  • Ask what the consent form says about photograph rights. That is not on the public record, so it has to come from the clinic.
  • Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Not sure which one fits you?

First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we check you against every study we track. Also, no account and no paperwork.

See if I may fit one of these studies →
✓ Takes just a few minutes✓ No cost, no obligation✓ You are never enrolled by checking

Why This Research Matters Here in Charlotte

You are a volunteer here, not a patient

This page works differently from the rest of our site. You are not ill, and you are not looking for relief from anything. Instead you would be giving up your time, and taking a cosmetic risk, in exchange for payment and for access to something not yet approved. So the honest questions are about odds, wash out and what the consent form says, rather than about whether a treatment might help you.

What is actually being studied here

Rock Hill, Concord, Gastonia, Monroe, Huntersville, Mooresville. One study reaches this metro, and it runs at a practice just outside uptown that carries more cosmetic research than anywhere else in either Carolina. However, it very nearly did not appear here, because a search on wrinkles across both states missed it entirely. In fact, that same search returned an unrelated cancer study instead.

So what should you actually weigh up?

  • The wash out is measured in years. Nine months before you start, then up to two years inside. So that is about three years without toxin elsewhere.
  • The dummy risk is visible. If you get the dummy in the blinded part, you see no change at all. However, an open part exists where everyone gets the real product.
  • Two disqualifiers surprise everyone. Brow microblading in the last six months rules you out. Also, a diagnosed anxiety or depression condition does.
  • The success bar is higher here. You and the doctor must both agree on a two grade improvement. Meanwhile, disease studies usually need only one opinion.
  • Nothing here is permanent. The effect wears off as the muscle recovers. So the study ending means returning to how you looked before.

Research is a care option, not a last resort

There is a saying in medicine that research is a care option rather than a last resort. Generally, that is the honest way to think about a study. You are not giving up your own doctor. Instead, you are adding a second set of eyes. Notably, this is a healthy volunteer study, so the honest trade is your time and a cosmetic risk in exchange for payment and access.

What being on the list actually gets you

This is a directory, not a clinic. So being on the list is simple and it costs nothing.

What you actually get

  • A call from us the day a new study opens near you
  • The clinic name and number, so you call them yourself
  • A check against every other study on our list, not just this one
  • No cost, and no insurance needed
  • Roughly $100 a visit for your time, once you are in a study
  • You are never enrolled by checking

So add it up. One study close to uptown, up to two years long, with a real chance of a dummy and a nine month wash out before you start. Meanwhile, five approved products are already on the market if treatment rather than research is what you want. So the useful thing to do today is count back nine months and see whether you even qualify.

What Is Actually Changing in Wrinkle Treatment

Five toxins are already approved, so the race now is about how long each one lasts.

You Are a Volunteer Here, Not a Patient

This page is different from the rest of our site. You are not ill, and you are not seeking relief. Instead you would be trading your time, and accepting a cosmetic risk, for payment and for access to something not yet approved. So the questions worth asking are different too.

Frown Lines and Loose Skin Are Not the Same Problem

Frown lines come from the same small muscles pulling together, over and over, across years. Loose skin comes from collagen and elastin declining, sped up by sun and by smoking. So they need different treatments. Notably, the study here treats only the muscle problem.

Toxins, Fillers and Devices Do Three Different Jobs

A toxin relaxes muscle, and it adds nothing under the skin. A filler adds volume under the skin. Meanwhile, an energy device heats deeper layers so your body makes new collagen over months. So if somebody offers you one when you wanted another, that is worth pausing on.

Five Are Already Approved

Botox was approved for frown lines in 2002, then Dysport in 2009 and Xeomin in 2011. Jeuveau followed in 2019 and Daxxify in 2022. So this is a crowded field, and a new one has to beat what exists. In fact, the usual claim now is duration rather than effect.

How Long They Actually Last

Conventional toxins last roughly three to four months. Daxxify reported a median of about six months in its main trials, and longer for some people. So nothing here is permanent, and none of it is meant to be. Meanwhile, when a study ends you return to how you looked before it.

Aesthetics Wash Outs Are Unusually Long

Nine to twelve months with no toxin or filler is standard before joining. Also, permanent fillers, lifting threads and fat transfer can rule you out for good. Finally, upper face surgery can rule you out for five years. So the real cost is measured in years of not having treatment elsewhere.

The Success Bar Is Higher Than in Disease Studies

In most medical studies, one person’s scoring decides the result. Here, in the United States, both the doctor and you must agree on a two grade improvement, and both must land on none or mild. Notably, the same study uses an easier bar outside North America, because other regulators do not require your agreement.

The Dummy Risk Is Real, and Visible

If you are in the blinded part and get the dummy, you will see no change at all. So ask how many arms there are and what your odds actually are. Also, ask whether you would be entering the blinded part or the open part. In fact, those two are materially different deals and it is fair to ask which you are being offered.

Why Nothing Is Open Near Columbia

Cosmetic studies cluster around a small number of high volume practices that have built research operations. So the site list for this one reads like a roster of exactly that kind of clinic. Meanwhile, Columbia does not currently have a practice in that network. In fact, unlike the eczema gap, there is no particular reason to expect this one to close soon.

If You Just Want the Treatment, Price It Instead

This is worth saying plainly. A study gives you access to something unapproved, plus payment. So it is not a cheaper route to an approved treatment. Five approved toxins are already available at market rates. Generally, if the treatment is the goal rather than the research, buying it is simpler.

Research Sites Near Charlotte

One research practice just outside uptown carries this study, and it runs more cosmetic research than anywhere else in either Carolina. But sites add new studies all the time, so it is worth knowing what sits near you.

Atrium Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies

Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension

Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.

Visit Website →

American Health Research Network

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes

Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.

Visit Website →

Monroe Biomedical Research

Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis

Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.

Visit Website →

Clinical Research of Gastonia

Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies

Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.

Visit Website →

OnSite Clinical Solutions

Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies

Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis

It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.

Visit Website →

Flourish Research

Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies

Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis

Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.

Visit Website →

New Hope Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies

Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder

Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.

Visit Website →

Queen City Clinical Research

SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies

Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis

Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.

Visit Website →

Novant Health

Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies

Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension

One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.

Visit Website →

DLVSC

4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies

Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea

Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.

Visit Website →

DelRicht Research

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression

Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.

Visit Website →

TMS of the Carolinas

South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies

Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression

A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.

Visit Website →

What to Expect in an Aesthetics Study

New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.

01

Prescreening

First comes a short phone call or online form. Also, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check whether you might fit. Then they tell you what is open.

02

Screening Visit

Next the clinic runs the tests that decide it, which usually means blood work. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can bring somebody with you.

03

Treatment Period

Then the study begins. So you take the study drug or the placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, your own doctor keeps managing everything else.

04

Follow-Up

Finally, there is a check in period at the end. Also, your own doctor gets the results, and you can stop at any point without affecting your care.

Wrinkle Study FAQs

Real answers about frown line studies near Charlotte NC.

Is there a study for this near Charlotte?

Yes, one is open, at a practice just outside uptown. It tests a new frown line injection, and there is a part with a dummy and a part where everyone gets the real product. Notably, it runs up to two years and needs nine months with no toxin anywhere on your body beforehand. However, this is a healthy volunteer study rather than treatment for an illness, so weigh it on that basis.

Will I actually get the treatment?

Not necessarily, and this is the first thing to ask. In the blinded part, some people get a dummy and see no change at all. However, there is also an open part where everyone gets the real product from the start. So ask which of the two you are being offered, because they are very different deals.

How long do I have to go without other treatments?

Longer than people expect. Nine months with no botulinum toxin before you even start. Then up to about two years in the study itself. So that is roughly three years of not having toxin treatment anywhere else. Notably, permanent fillers, threads or fat transfer can rule you out for good.

Does toxin for migraine or sweating count?

Yes, and this catches people out. The nine month rule covers any botulinum toxin, for any reason, anywhere on your body. So toxin for migraine, jaw clenching or heavy sweating all count. Also, be upfront about it, because it is checked.

Why would microblading disqualify me?

Because the study takes standard photographs at every visit and compares them. Brow pigment interferes with reading those images. So microblading, tattoos or piercings in the area within the last six months rule you out. Meanwhile, that is about measurement rather than about safety.

Is the result permanent?

No, and nothing in this field is. Conventional toxins last about three to four months, and the longest lasting approved one reported a median of about six. So when the study ends, you return to how you looked before it. In fact, that is worth being clear about before you commit two years.

Would I be paid?

Payment is not published for this study, so we cannot tell you the amount. Generally, healthy volunteer studies do pay more than patient studies, because there is no health benefit on offer. So ask about the amount, the schedule and how it is taxed. Also, ask what the consent form says about rights to your photographs, because that is not on the public record.

Would it be cheaper than just buying treatment?

That is the wrong comparison, and we would rather say so. A study gives you access to something not yet approved, plus payment. However, five approved toxins are already sold at market rates. So if the treatment itself is your goal rather than the research, buying it is simpler and faster.

Where can I get help near Charlotte NC?

Several cosmetic dermatology practices operate across the metro, and one of them runs most of the research. Also, if the treatment itself is what you want rather than the research, five approved products are already sold here at market rates. Generally, a consultation will tell you which suits your pattern of lines. Meanwhile, joining a study means giving that up for about three years.

Ready to Explore a Study?

Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.

← Back to All Clinical Trials

Sources

Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 16, 2026. A search on wrinkles across both Carolinas missed both aesthetics studies entirely and returned an unrelated cancer study instead; this one was found only by reading the full record. Two other studies were checked and are not listed here. One gives a Charlotte address carrying a Wilmington zip code, and the other reads as unknown with a completion date already past. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.

See if this study fits you →