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Collagen Zyplast Treatments
Tissue Augmentation with Zylast Collagen â
Injectable collagen is used to fill out areas on the face that are furrowed or lined because of the effects of age. These represent both the changes related to gravity and the finer lines resulting from the effects of repeated muscle movements such as the smile lines around the mouth and the hollowing effects on the chin and above the upper lip.
Another satisfactory and effective use of collagen is filling out the lip borders, which become indistinct and diminished with age.
Purified collagen was developed in the early 1970’s by scientists at Stanford University who purified animal collagen looking for a substitute for skin grafting. Further refinements by the Collagen Corporation (now Inamed) led to development and widespread use of Zyplast Collagenâ for cosmetic and medical purposes. It has been used in humans since 1976 and hundreds of thousands of individuals have been treated with injectable collagen.
Zyplast Collagenâ is injected using a very fine needle into the deep dermal areas to be addressed. It is very carefully laid into these tissues and gently massaged to yield as smooth a result as possible. The effects last three to four months on the average, less when used in the lip margins.
While the vast majority of patients can safely benefit from collagen injections, they are not for everyone. Skin testing two times is performed to identify if you are allergic to Zyplast collagenâ. Approximately 2% of patients tested are allergic to collagen.
It is suggested that individuals with extreme allergies or significant autoimmune conditions, such as lupus erythematosus, not use collagen. Allergy to lidocaine (different than the old novacaine, now rarely used) is also a contraindication.
The potential side effects are allergy (most usually detected in the skin testing phase), bruising, and mild palpable lumpiness (usually not visible). Rarely, there can be occlusion of collagen into a more substantial blood vessel and a deeper and more persistent bruise can result.
Collagen does not replace the muscle relaxing effects of Botox and the two are often used together for the most satisfactory results. It not replace facelifting or other surgery to physically move the facial and neck tissues up to reverse gravity effects. It does not replace procedures such as ablative resurfacing with laser or dermabrasion or tightening the collagen with non-ablative laser, light and/or radiofrequency waves.
It also does not replace the daily use of sunscreens and topical agents to prevent and treat photoaging and intrinsic aging, with agents such as tretinoin, topical vitamin C and alphahydroxyacids. All of the above can be used individually or in combination to give the best possible cosmetic results, depending on your needs and preferences.
As newer filler substances (such as Artecollâ and Restylaneâ) become available, they will be incorporated and used when indicated. We are hoping that these newer substances will have longer lasting benefit.
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