CollagenAbout The Procedure
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 220,000 Collagen procedures were performed in 2005. Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that supports various parts of the body including skin, tendons and ligaments. Commonly used injectable collagen is made from purified cow skin to fill wrinkles, lines and scars on the face.
Procedure Description
Using fine needles, the plastic surgeon injects fillers into your skin under each wrinkle. The filler pushes the depressed wrinkle outward and makes it less visible. This procedure involves temporary discomfort, associated with the needle. Once the injection is complete, there is no more discomfort. There are four main types of collagen (1) Bovine collagen extracted from cow skin, then purified, sterilized, and processed into liquid form; (2) Autologen injection, which is collagen from your own skin, harvested during a previous operation and processed into liquid form; (3) Isolagen injection, which is also collagen from your own skin, cloned in a laboratory and processed into liquid form; and (4) Dermalogen is collagen from human cadaver skin which has been sterilized, purified, and processed into liquid form.
Best Candidates for Collagens
Candidates must have realistic expectations of the outcome of the surgery. You may be a good candidate for collagen injections if you have early smile lines or you have deeper smile lines but still have reasonably good skin tone; or you have had a face lift or brow lift and desire to touch up the smile lines or frown lines without further surgery.
Length of the Procedure
A Collagen treatment usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Anesthesia
A topical anesthetic may be used for a collagen injection treatment.
Inpatient or Outpatient?
Collagen treatment is performed in a doctor’s office.
Possible Side Effects
Since collagen is absorbed by the body, the primary possible side effects, which include allergic reaction and bruising, are typically temporary.
Recovery
There may be some mild swelling after the procedure. Using an ice pack will help to decrease this. Most patients look normal with make-up within one hour. Occasionally, mild bruising may be seen or small dots may appear at the locations where the needles were inserted.
Duration of Results
Collagen typically softens fine wrinkles for 3 - 6 months. The length of time is dependent upon how quickly your body metabolizes, or "breaks down", the collagen.
Risks
Risks associated with Collagens include a reaction to the anesthesia (liquid collagen injections contain lidocaine, a local anesthetic); allergic reaction to bovine products if a brovine collagen is used; redness; swelling or bruising; itching; abscesses; open sores; peeling; scarring; and lumpiness. In very rare cases, a shallow scar can form at the injection site.
Cost
Expect to pay the following per session for about 1 ml injection:
- Bovine collagen $300 to $800.
- Autologen $800 to $1000.
- Isolagen $1000 to $1500.
- Dermalogen $500 to $1000.
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