Articoll- the new kid on the block
Since the 1980's when cosmetic surgeons learned that the principal culprit in facial aging is volume depletion (loss of fat, muscle, and bone and "thin skin") fillers have dominated the cosmetic surgical market. While none has equalled the sales of Botox I suspect that combined they exceed botox sales.
The newest kid on the block is Articoll, a permanent filler which will claim to rival silicone with none of the aura of fears which have surrounded silicone breast implants and silicone injections. While silicone has been vindicated in terms of safety, its fabeled risks and high costs still haunt its use.
Enter Aricoll, a suspension of homogenous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres, in a solution of partly denatured 3.5 percent collegen. The Artecoll® implant consists of 75% collagen solution and 25% PMMA microspheres. All microspheres are in the range of 32-40 microns in size. The Artecoll® microspheres are completely round and smooth. Artecoll® contains the anesthetic Lidocaine hydrochloride.
Your body absorbs the collagen carrier in one to three months. Your own collagen completely replaces the Artecoll® collagen. Artecoll® collagen absorption and your new collagen formation are presumed to occur at a similar rate. The PMMA- microspheres serve as a stimulus for collagen formation. Each microsphere is completely surrounded and encapsulated by your own collagen. After completion of the remodeling process (3 to 6 months), the augmentation area theoretically consists of about 75% of your own collagen and 25% PMMA microspheres to form a pliable implant.
Many attempts have been made to fill wrinkles and scars with either biological or synthetic filler materials. Maintaining correction of dermal defects requires repeating injections again and again. However, most of us have observed that repeated corrections with any filler results in progressively longer lived remodeling.
The theoretical advantages of the articoll injections is their permanence. This is also their risk as poor corrections will require surgical removal of the corrections and a resultant scar. Another disadvantage is its higher costs which may range from 3000.00-7000.00 for a given area. Each area will average 2 corrections over several months. The final correction may take 6 months to achieve. This is similar to silicone. Initally, I am advising patients to begin with a resorbable filler and if they are satisfied to consider articoll. As with all cosmetic treatments the buyer must beware. And hopefully, if past history is a guide, corrections in the midwest will not be as exaggerated as those on the east and west coast.
The newest kid on the block is Articoll, a permanent filler which will claim to rival silicone with none of the aura of fears which have surrounded silicone breast implants and silicone injections. While silicone has been vindicated in terms of safety, its fabeled risks and high costs still haunt its use.
Enter Aricoll, a suspension of homogenous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres, in a solution of partly denatured 3.5 percent collegen. The Artecoll® implant consists of 75% collagen solution and 25% PMMA microspheres. All microspheres are in the range of 32-40 microns in size. The Artecoll® microspheres are completely round and smooth. Artecoll® contains the anesthetic Lidocaine hydrochloride.
Your body absorbs the collagen carrier in one to three months. Your own collagen completely replaces the Artecoll® collagen. Artecoll® collagen absorption and your new collagen formation are presumed to occur at a similar rate. The PMMA- microspheres serve as a stimulus for collagen formation. Each microsphere is completely surrounded and encapsulated by your own collagen. After completion of the remodeling process (3 to 6 months), the augmentation area theoretically consists of about 75% of your own collagen and 25% PMMA microspheres to form a pliable implant.
Many attempts have been made to fill wrinkles and scars with either biological or synthetic filler materials. Maintaining correction of dermal defects requires repeating injections again and again. However, most of us have observed that repeated corrections with any filler results in progressively longer lived remodeling.
The theoretical advantages of the articoll injections is their permanence. This is also their risk as poor corrections will require surgical removal of the corrections and a resultant scar. Another disadvantage is its higher costs which may range from 3000.00-7000.00 for a given area. Each area will average 2 corrections over several months. The final correction may take 6 months to achieve. This is similar to silicone. Initally, I am advising patients to begin with a resorbable filler and if they are satisfied to consider articoll. As with all cosmetic treatments the buyer must beware. And hopefully, if past history is a guide, corrections in the midwest will not be as exaggerated as those on the east and west coast.
posted by Edward Lack MD at 10:54 AM
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