Collagen injections

Collagen is a type of soft tissue filler that may be used to enhance the lips or to fill in lines and creases that may develop as we age and the effects of gravity, smiling, chewing, and squinting take their toll. Collagen is one of several options you have to treat these conditions. Other options include fat grafting and alloderm placement. You are encouraged to read about all three of these types of soft tissue fillers so that you may make the right choice for your individual situation.
These techniques may also be used to enhance the results of another procedure, such as chemical peels, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, facelifting, brow lifting, and laser resurfacing. Doctors is a specialist in these state of the art techniques and can help guide your selection of the most appropriate treatment or combination of treatments to help you achieve the appearance you desire.
Soft tissue fillers have their differences, and it is important to understand these differences prior to selecting a particular treatment. Collagen should not be viewed as a permanent solution, as it is eventually metabolized by your body. Therefore, it may not be the best choice if you are seeking permanent results through a single procedure.
Individual results with soft tissue fillers vary a great deal, and this phenomenon is not completely understood. Some patients do maintain the injected volume permanently, but in other patients the results may fade after only a few months. Longevity of a treatment may also be related to the muscle activity in the area. Areas with intense, repetitive muscle activity seem to metabolize the collagen more rapidly than areas with less muscle activity. Because of this, collagen injections are sometimes combined with Botox injections to paralyze the regional muscles and prolong the effects of the injected collagen.
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein found in numerous structural components of the body, such as skin, muscle, and bone. Injectable collagen, patented by the Collagen Corporation under the trade names Zyderm and Zyplast, is derived from purified bovine collagen. This product received approval from the FDA in 1981.
The primary risks of collagen injection include an allergic reaction to the collagen, infection, abscess formation, and lumpiness in the treated area. While most patients do not experience these complications, it is important to understand them prior to undergoing collagen injections.
To avoid an allergic reaction, prior to a treatment, Doctors will perform a skin test with a tiny quantity of collagen. After injecting  this test dose into the forearm, the site will be watched for four weeks. Any signs of swelling, itching, or redness should be reported to Doctors immediately and will indicate that you are not a candidate for collagen injections.
If you think you might be a good candidate for collagen injections or one of the other soft tissue fillers, this page will give you a basic understanding of the procedure and the results you can expect. However, Doctors feels it is extremely important to individualize treatment to your specific circumstances and goals, therefore it is recommended that you visit our office for a complimentary consultation. You are also invited to email Doctors with your questions, or we will mail you more detailed information regarding the procedure.