Collagen in Cosmetic Surgery

Collagen is a fibrous protein that serves as a connective tissue and structural support to other tissues in the body, such as the skin, bone, cartilage, tendon, and muscles.

It is rich in amino acids, including lysine, praline, hydroxylysine, and hydroxyproline. There are 27 different types of collagen in the body. Its role as a principal supportive protein in the skin’s dermis has lead to its use in cosmetic procedures.

It is also incorporated in skin products such as Collagen Care and supplements like Collagen Pro.

As one ages, the amount of collagen diminishes due to its break down predominating over its production. External factors, such as free radicals, smoking, UV rays, inflammation, and other environmental assaults to the body hasten its degradation. Decreased collagen makes fine lines and wrinkles more evident.

Collagen‘s injection into the skin makes it possible to replace the damaged dermal layer where collagen resides. The introduced agent serves as a matrix that stimulates the fibroblasts to grow. Fibroblasts are cells which synthesize collagen.

In contrast to other wrinkle-reducing treatments, such as laser resurfacing and chemical peels, which lower the skin surface, collagen injection raises the lines to make them look even with the surrounding skin.

The results are faster and more visible than the topical or pill forms of collagen. The products utilized as fillers should be stable and relatively resistant to the action of enzymes in the body that degrade it.

Types of Collagen Fillers

Bovine Collagen

In 1982, the FDA approved it as an injectable filling agent. It is derived from the skin of cows which is highly purified, sterilized and liquefied for cosmetic uses. It remains one of the commonly used types of collagen filler because it’s the least expensive. Due to the higher rate of allergic reactions, it has to be tested on your skin to prevent adverse reactions.

Autologen

True to its name, it is harvested from your own skin during a prior collagen injections. It will be sent to the lab where it will undergo purification, sterilization and liquefaction so it could be injected back to you. Two to four injections at one to three-month intervals will be performed.

It is usually the preferred preparation as a lip collagen to create a fuller pout. It lasts longer and has lesser allergic reactions than its bovine-derived counterpart, but comes at a higher cost. No skin testing is necessary.

Isolagen

Introduced in 1998, it is likewise extracted from your own skin but no prior operation is necessary. Collagen-producing cells are taken from the back of your ears to be cloned and cultivated. The cultured cells are fibroblasts instead of collagen itself.

Collagen injections are done in 2 week intervals, with improved results after each successive treatment. Even after the last injection, improvement will be visible due to the live fibroblasts that continue to give rise to collagen. Since it comes from your own body, allergic reactions are rare and results last longer.

However, it is even more expensive than autologen fillers because of the more complicated process done in the laboratory to reproduce the protein.

Dermalogen

A human-based collagen harvested from cadaver donors that goes through a rigorous purification and sterilization process, which lessens your chances of contracting infectious diseases from the donor.

Compared to bovine extracts, it lasts longer and has lower risks for allergies, thus no skin testing is required. It is less cumbersome to prepare so it is more affordable than autologen and isolagen fillers.

Artefill

This hybrid type was approved by the FDA in 2006 and is made from a mixture of bovine collagen with homogeneous polymethylmethacrylate microspheres, which are minute plastic spheres.

Upon the degradation of the injected collagen, the spheres help maintain the results much longer and even stimulate natural collagen production. It claims to provide a more permanent solution.

Cosmetic Uses of Collagen Injections

• Filling up acne and traumatic scars

• Correction of wrinkles around the lips, from the nose to the corners of the mouth, smile lines on the cheeks, crow’s feet, and frown lines on the forehead.

• Volume enhancement of the lips and cheeks

• Reshaping of the tip of the nose

Older patients can also undergo treatment, although those with relatively flexible skin will benefit more.

Contraindications

Persons with allergies to bovine collagen and lidocaine, those who are pregnant and who have collagen diseases and other autoimmune diseases are not qualified to receive collagen injections. A skin test performed weeks prior to the collagen injections is mandatory for those getting bovine-derived filler, to check for allergic reactions, foreign body reaction, hyper pigmentation, and other complications.

A small amount of collagen will be injected on your forearm and will be checked after 2-3 days for positive reaction. It will be re-evaluated after 4 weeks, for possible delayed hypersensitivity.

The Collagen Injection Process

Collagen treatment is a quick procedure that can be done at the doctor’s clinic in 30-60 minutes. After addressing the problem areas, your doctor will inject collagen fillers using 30-gauge needles directly beneath the skin.

For filling up scars and wrinkles, an anesthetic cream may be applied to the skin before the injection or lidocaine will be mixed with the solution, to lessen the pain from the needle’s punctures. The targeted areas will be overfilled with collagen for better absorption, so your face will be swollen for the next couple of days.

For fuller lips and cheeks, lidocaine is often mixed with the collagen injection but minor discomfort and pain can be expected especially once the numbing effect wears off.

There is minimal downtime after the collagen injections and most clients can go back to their normal activities right after the treatment. Recovery time can vary from a few hours to a few days.

How Long Will the Effects Last?

Since the body metabolizes the collagen, the effects will eventually fade away. Collagen injections are generally temporary; it will depend on the type of filler used and your body’s reaction to it. These can only offer a faster solution with minimal downtime but if you are after a more permanent option, plastic surgery is your way to go.

A combination of laser resurfacing and Botox injections will yield longer lasting results for wrinkles. The effects of collagen injections may last from 3 to 6 months, to a year and a half, so follow up and repeat treatments may be necessary.

Possible Complications

Besides allergic reactions, undergoing collagen injections carry other risks. They may be skin ulceration or infection. It may yield asymmetrical and over-enhanced results. These risks may be prevented with proper techniques carried out by an experienced and highly qualified plastic surgeon.

How Much Does It Cost?

The rates of collagen injections, including the surgeon’s fees, range from $300- $1,500 per syringe, depending on your region and the type of filler used. Urban areas have expectedly higher costs.

Per session, Bovine collagen injections cost $300 to $800; Autologen $800 to $1,000; Isolagen $1,000 to $1,500; Dermalogen $500 to $1,000; and Artefill $1,200 to $1,500.

Overall, it costs lower than fat injections, a similar procedure making use of your own fat tissues, which varies from $1,500 to $4,000. The estimates do not include the anesthesia and other miscellaneous expenses.

Some may require more than one syringe for the collagen injections. Ask your plastic surgeon for a comprehensive cost estimate and financing options.