Dermal fillers.
The new bioengineered human collagen products and the various hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are all safe and effective agents for soft tissue augmentation. There is no one best filler for all purposes and optimal results are achieved by using these products in various combinations. In my opinion, HA-containing products provide volume while collagen products are better suited to provide structural support. Less downtime is associated with the collagen products, due to the platelet-aggregating effects of collagen and the eosinophil-stabilizing effects of lidocaine. Using collagen in combination with HA, during the same office visit, may help reduce some of the bruising and swelling seen with HA alone.
Baumann
Leslie
L
Department of Dermatology, University of Miami, USA. lsb@derm.net