Collagen

Collagen is a natural substance that is found in skin, muscle, tendons and bones and provides structural support. In the dermis (the mid-layer of skin), collagen is made by fibroblast cells. It forms a fibrous network on which new cells can grow. Through the natural processes of aging, collagen in the dermis is gradually lost and contributes to the formation of facial lines.

Injectable bovine collagen is made of sterile, purified collagen from cow skin. Human collagen implants are highly purified and isolated from human skin grown in a laboratory. The cells have been grown for the last ten years or so primarily to manufacture living skin-equivalents to treat burns and ulcers.

When injected into the body's skin both forms fibers of collagen are accepted as if they were the body's own collagen, forming a network of collagen fibres.

Where can collagen fillers be used?
Collagen injections can be used to improve the skin's contour and fill out depressions in the skin due to scars, injury or lines.

Facial lines and features that can be smoothed out using collagen implants include:

• Frown lines that run between the eyebrows (glabellar lines)
• Smoker's lines which are vertical lines on the mouth (perioral lines)
• Marionette lines at the corner of the mouth (oral commissures)
• Worry lines that run across the forehead (forehead lines)
• Crow's feet at the corner of the eyes (periorbital lines)
• Deep smile lines that run from side of the nose to corners of the mouth (nasolabial furrows)
• Cheek depressions
• Redefining lip border
• Acne scars (collagen is not suitable for narrow ‘ice-pick’ scars)
• Other facial scars, providing they don't have a sharp edge

Collagen treatment can be combined with other cosmetic procedures, including botulinum toxin injections and laser resurfacing.

Am I suitable for collagen replacement therapy?
Your doctor will take a complete medical history. Medications that reduce blood clotting, such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory agents, warfarin and some herbal medications, may increase the chance of bleeding. People with severe allergies (anaphylaxis) or allergy to injected local anesthetics should not be treated with bovine or human collagen.