Collagen and Other Injectable Fillers
Collagen injections and other injectable fillers give your skin a plumper, smoother appearance. Although collagen is the best
known filler, there are many other substances doctors can use to plump up your skin, including fat from your own body and synthetic
materials. Below you will find a detailed explanation of how collagen works, followed by a list other other injectable fillers
your doctor may suggest.
Collagen
To understand collagen, you should first understand your skin.
Skin consists of two
layers: the epidermis and the dermis. The upper-most layer, known as the epidermis, controls the loss of water from cells and tissue.
Without this protective barrier, the body would quickly dehydrate.
Just below the epidermis lies the second layer, the dermis.
The dermis, although it contains blood vessels, nerves and hair follicles, is primarily made up of a protein called "collagen." This
protein forms a network of fibers that provides a framework for the growth of cells and blood vessels. Because it is the primary
component of the dermis, collagen acts as the support structure for the skin.
Why Do Lines Appear?
In young skin, the collagen framework is intact and the skin remains moisturized
and elastic. It's resilient to the many facial expressions we adopt as well as everyday environmental exposure. But, over time, the
support structure weakens and the skin loses its elasticity. The skin begins to lose its tone as the collagen support wears down.
Every time you smile, frown or squint, you put stress on the collagen in your
skin. The effect of these facial expressions is cumulative and facial lines begin to appear.
Why Aren't Creams Containing Collagen Enough to Smooth Out Lines?
Collagen creams work only on the
skin surface. A moisturizer with or without collagen cannot penetrate the skin and is not designed to be absorbed. No moisturizer
can undo the cumulative effect of collagen loss. Creams primarily slow the rate of water loss from the skin and help keep the skin
supple.
How Do Collagen Injections Work?
Collagen injections replenishes the skin's natural collagen. The natural beauty of your skin is enhanced as the contour of
the support structure is restored.
Zyderm and Zyplast are bovine derived collagen products that replace the collagen your skin
loses over time. Zyderm and Zyplast collagen are placed just beneath the skin, in the dermis where the body readily accepts it
as its own.
CosmoDerm and CosmoPlast are bioengineered human collagen products that are used for similar indications as Zyderm
and Zyplast but have the advantage of not requiring a skin test prior to the first treatment.
Collagen should be injected
into your skin only by a trained health care professional. By supplementing your skin's own collagen, collagen replacement
therapy helps smooth facial lines as well as most types of scars.
Next: Other Injectable Fillers »
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