A New Permanent Remedy for Wrinkles?

May 3, 2006
People seeking a permanent remedy for facial wrinkling and signs of aging may soon have a new option. A permanent facial filler, already available in Europe, is currently awaiting FDA approval.

Artefill is made of purified bovine collagen and the same microscopic substance used to make Plexiglas. Injected under the skin with a syringe, the product fills in lines and wrinkles the patient wants to be less noticeable.

Studies show that Artefill may stimulate the patient's own collagen production.

“Artefill is a unique kind of tissue engineering feat, I think, in some ways because in many ways Artefill is only 20 percent of the solution, and the way the body's own tissue reacts to this filler is the other 80 percent,” said Steven Cohen, M.D., a plastic surgeon from San Diego.

Dr. Cohen, a shareholder of the company that produces Artefill, is optimistic about the implications of such a product. “This, perhaps, represents the beginning of a more scientific approach to simply filling a space but developing products that cause the body to react in such a manner that produce the desired effect,” he said.

If approved, Artefill would be the first product of its kind available for use in the United States. The FDA has been slow to approve the product in order to study it more fully.

Dr. Cohen appreciates the FDA's lengthy approval process. “When you start talking about anything permanent, you start talking about something that could also be a permanent problem,” be said.

Side effects associated with the use of facial fillers include lumps and bumps in the areas where the filler is injected. These may require steroid treatment or procedures to remove the lumps.

Artefill is specifically indicated for use in nasolabial folds and laugh lines. The FDA is expected to make its final decision in the coming months.

If you have questions about Artefill or other facial line fillers, consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.

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