LOOKING GOOD: If you are tempted by - or even just curious about - 'injectable wrinkle fillers', Melanie Morris sets out the options
COLLAGEN
What it is: The original filler that was the first FDA-approved product on the market. Collagen is an injectable substance processed from connective bovine tissues of BSE-free herds. Brand names include Zyderm and Zyplast.
What it does: Used to replace the collagen that diminishes with ageing, it plumps up skin, diminishes lines and wrinkles and fills out scars or irregular contours.
Lasts: Three to six months.
Procedure: Injected after local anaesthetic. Results are instantly visible once redness and swelling have calmed down (after one day).
Side-effects: Three per cent of people are allergic to collagen and so a patch test (a shot in the forearm) is essential a month before treatment. Adverse reactions include rashes, joint/muscle pain, headaches, blistering or soreness. Therefore, most clinics have moved on to..
NASHA (NON-ANIMAL STABILISED HYALURONIC ACID) GEL
What it is: Hyaluronic acid in a clear, non-animal, biodegradable product that occurs naturally in the human body. Branded as Restylane and Perlane, this dermal filler is a long-lasting gel that lifts, adds volume and helps diminish fine lines. It's FDA-approved in the US.
What it does: Works by binding with water molecules when injected into the dermal layer of the skin, creating volume and thus lifting up and smoothing the above wrinkle. Popular places to inject include the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows), nasolabial folds (from the nose to mouth), crow's feet and lines around the lips. Perlane is especially effective for plumping lips to natural proportions, if that's not a contradiction in terms.
What's the difference between Restylane and Perlane: It's in the size of the particle, with Perlane containing more hyaluronic acid. This means that Perlane does a better job of filling deep lines while Restylane is used in fine lines or in thin-skinned people.
Lasts: Six to nine months.
Procedure: Injected after local anaesthetic. Because hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body, no prior test is needed. Results are visible once skin has calmed down.
Side-effects: Temporary redness, tender skin, swelling and itching. Lips may appear uneven and overly swollen.
After-care: Do not massage/rub treated area. Avoid extreme heat or cold for 48 hours. Don't pucker lips.
Cost: From €250.
ISOLOGEN
What it is: Isologen is a ground-breaking procedure that is based on boosting the client's own fibroblast count - the cells that make human collagen active and plump - which are harvested from the patient, grown in a lab and injected back into the dermal layer.
What it does: It works on the body's ability to repair itself using the patient's own cells to naturally promote rejuvenation. Isologen works on everything from smoothing lines and wrinkles to healing diabetic leg ulcers. Once grown and re-injected, the fibroblasts will stimulate collagen growth and remain active for up to 18 months.
Procedure: After a local anaesthetic, the doctor takes a small skin sample from behind the patient's ear (no sun damage, plenty of collagen) and sends it to the Isologen lab for growing. Two months later (though waiting time is currently running at 12 months) there is a series of three injections (again, with local anaesthetic) on treated areas, performed in fortnightly intervals. Fibroblasts can be cryogenically frozen for future use.
Results: Very natural. Depending on the client, it can take anything for two to six months for effects; improvements continue for around a year with the resulting effects lasting up to eight years. Because these are your own cells, the body doesn't reject - and thus eliminate - them.
Side-effects: Temporary redness. Avoid massaging/rubbing treated area for 48 hours. Cost: €3,500. mmorris@irish-times.ie
WHERE TO GO:
The Ailesbury Clinic: Dr Patrick Treacy at the Ailesbury Clinic (Dublin 4, 01-2692255) is the only Isologen practitioner in Ireland. He also does a variety of other fillers. On a more countrywide basis with a wide selection of relevant procedures, try Advanced Cosmetic Surgery (clinics in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway, call 1850-204090 for more information).