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Collagen |
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Collagen |
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Collagen is a protein found in skin, bone, cartilage, and tendons, that is essential for skin strength and elasticity. Over time, collagen breaks down, causing skin to lose its elasticity and begin to wrinkle and sag. People turn to fight these signs of aging, with collagen injections to replace their lost natural collagen. What are collagen injections? Collagen injections are taken from human dermal firbroblasts that are cultured in a contorlled labratory enviroment. The tissue undergoes a series of tests to make sure it's pure and free from contaminates. Human collagen does not require a pre-allergy test and has been FDA approved since 1981. The purified bovine collagen is very similar to human collagen and is manufactured in different thicknesses to meet each patient’s various needs. Collagen injections can be used to fill in creases, wrinkles, and depressions in facial skin, including laugh lines, facial wrinkles, crow’s feet, smile lines, lip creases, and acne scars. It can also be used to treat the areas of the neck, back, and chest, as well as to create plumper cheeks or lips. In many cases, collagen injections are used in conjunction with another cosmetic procedure such as laser skin resurfacing or facelift. Some patients may use Botox (injections that reduce the appearance of wrinkles) to treat frown lines and collagen for lip augmentation. It is very important to remember that there are a variety of options that should be discussed with a qualified cosmetic surgeon to find what is best for you. How do collagen injections work? The doctor will administer a series of injections along the edge of the area that is to be treated. The treatment area(s) will be slightly overfilled because the body will absorb the saltwater in the collagen solution. The entire procedure is quick and relatively painless – some minor burning or stinging may occur if a topical anesthetic is not used. Patients will be able to resume normal everyday activity immediately following each treatment. Will creams containing collagen be enough to smooth out lines? Collagen creams will only work on the skin surface. A moisturizer with or without collagen cannot penetrate and is not designed to be absorbed in the skin. No moisturizer can undo the cumulative effect of collagen loss. Creams do primarily slow the rate of water loss from the skin and can help keep the skin supple. What can I expect with collagen replacement therapy? It’s necessary to discuss with your physician exactly what you can expect from each treatment so you can prioritize which areas are most important to you, and discuss how many treatments you may need and the estimated cost. It’s important to remember that one treatment may not remove every line on your face. Maintaining a full correction requires continued treatments. How many treatments will I need? Like natural collagen, collagen replacement therapy begins to lose its form and will eventually wear down. Once full correction occurs, it is maintained only with a series of treatments. A treatment series generally requires collagen replacement therapy approximately two times per year to maintain the smoothing effects. Depending on factors like your age, skin condition, amount of sun damage and genetics, your treatment program will be specifically tailored to incorporate your individual needs by our physician. |
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