Twice The Collagen Plumping Skin In One Shot

There are countless ways to combat natural sagging skin, including Botox, collagen fillers, fat grafting and chemical peels. The balance of cosmetic options makes the individual challenging the eternal question: "How I can get the most out of my budget facelift?"

Now researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School in A

Arbor has seen a way to get more out of your renovation dollars aesthetics. Frank Wang, MD, and colleagues found that injections of hyaluronic acid used to plump up the skin could also increase collagen production.

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers

Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronate) is a polymer of natural origin of the skin, to enchance the ability of skin to retain water. It is also one of the most popular ingredients used in dermal fillers.

To study the effect of hyaluronic acid on the skin, Wang and his colleagues injected non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA) in the forearms of 11 healthy, fair-skinned volunteers. The average age of participants was 74th

Eight participants showed moderate signs of sun damage, which included brown spots, drooping skin, wrinkles or uneven pigmentation and the other three patients had mild to moderate sun damage.

Volunteers received three injections of 0.7 milliliters of stabilized hyaluronic acid, an interval of two to five centimeters apart in one forearm, and three injections of saline in the same volume and space in the other arm. At four weeks, and 13, the researchers took skin biopsies at the injection sites.

Skin biopsies, Wang wanted, "To further the potential mechanisms for long-term cosmetic benefits of this charge ..."

Food and Drug Administration says that, dermal fillers such as hyaluronic acid dermal filler Restylane, is temporarily increasing the volume of facial tissue and returns to the face looks smoother. But the effects last only for about 6 months.

Wang explains, "We found that NASHA injections induce type 1 collagen production in the skin of the forearm of photo-damaged." Because there is currently no evidence that the skin on different parts of body behave differently, it is likely that hyaluronic acid has the same effect on facial skin.

According to Wang, the hyaluronic acid injections induce collagen production by "mechanical stretching of fibroblasts [cells that secrete collagen proteins], stimulation of growth factors and inhibition of collagen degradation."

Wang findings appear in the February issue of Archives of Dermatology.

Mesotherapy injections

While Wang has an optimistic view of hyaluronic acid, another study presented at the December 2006 rebate dermatologic surgery facial rejuvenating effects of hyaluronic acid.

In the study, researchers gave ten subjects four sessions of mesotherapy involving multiple injections of a multivitamin and hyaluronic acid solution. Patients received injections every four months.

All subjects had pre-and post-treatment photographs and skin biopsies. Patient surveys were also used.

A clinical photographs of patients at months 0, 3 and 6 revealed no significant differences in the skin. Similarly, light microscopic examination of pre-and post-processing of the elastin [connective skin protein] specimens revealed no significant change. Electron microscopic analysis of collagen fibers measurements showed that the fiber diameter decreased after treatment.

These results have led researchers to conclude that a multivitamin and hyaluronic acid solution facial mesotherapy does not seem used to produce little benefit from the skin. But there is a significant difference in the way dermal fillers and mesotherapy works, which could explain the results of the study.

Whether or not hyaluronic acid injections do not increase collagen production in the face, the area where most people want to see improvements in their skin remains to be demonstrated.

Hyaluronic acid fillers do not include risks such as bleeding, bruising and skin allergies. But when performed by a provider of skilled health care, injections of hyaluronic acid eilicit an easy lift with minimal risk.