Collagen Injections and Injectable Fillers

Several years ago it was quite in fashion for people to plump their lips by having collagen, a naturally occurring protein, injected into them. Pouty or full, luscious lips were made possible to people with lips that were thin or mostly obscured by the inside of the mouth. Since that time, the popularity of collagen injections has waned a bit, partly because collagen injections are not permanent and the material is absorbed by the body over time.

 

The search for new, longer lasting injectable skin fillers has led to some important advances in collagen technology, advances that may serve to invigorate this cosmetic procedure. Collagen injections, even in their enhanced forms, are expected to last only two to four months. During this time, though, collagen provides a natural feeling enhancement and, when done properly, can provide natural looking plumpness and fullness to the lips. Collagen injections can also be used to fill fine lines and creases in the skin which can lead to a younger, fuller looking face.

 

 

Another substance that is found naturally within our bodies that can be injected in the same way as collagen is hyaluronic acid. The main benefit of hyaluronic acid over collagen injections is that they can continue to provide an aesthetic benefit for six months or more. Hydroxyapatite, another injectable filler, is more like a mineral than like a protein. Hydroxyapatite is derived from bone, made into a gel, and injected in that form. Since it is very heavy and dense, hydroxyapatite is more suited to filling in deeper facial wrinkles and lines rather than being used to provide fullness to the lips. Also many find the sensation of hydroxyapatite in the lips more unnatural and disagreeable than collagen injections. Polymethylmethacrylate known simply as PMMA is a hybrid of collagen injection and tiny PMMA spheres that is used in much the same way as collagen injections alone. The PMMA microspheres stabilize the collagen and extend the useful length of collagen injections by three to five times, thus PMMA treatments can provide an aesthetic benefit for over a year.

 

Another approach to collagen injections and injectable fillers is to use a person’s own body fat as the injectable agent. The fat, harvested through gentle liposuction and purified, is injected into the lips or other areas of the face. This approach may be reasonable when a patient wishes to receive body contouring through liposuction but also desires a reduction in facial lines or fuller lips.

 

The cost of collagen injections can vary widely depending on the demand and exclusivity of the cosmetic surgeon, the prescriptions needed before and after the procedure and the depth of anesthesia required. Generally most collagen injections require only local or surface anesthesia, if any at all. If a patient’s own fat is to be used, the cost of liposuction and fat purification can raise the cost of injection considerably. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic surgery, collagen injection costs between $400 and $500 on average. Hyaluronic acid injections cost between $500 and $550 and hydroxyapatite injections are around $850 per treatment. Newer injectable fillers are usually more expensive, totally $1,000 or more per treatment. As with most aesthetic and cosmetic procedures performed in the United States, health insurance plans will not cover what they feel is a medically unnecessary surgical procedure. When you consider that these procedures need to be repeated every three to 18 months, the out-of-pocket costs must be weighed against the aesthetic benefit of the procedure.