As a person ages, his skin becomes damaged by the sun, causing it to sag and wrinkle. In order to look youthful and healthy, many people turn to collagen injections. These injections are routinely performed to soften lines and furrows on the face, plump up lips and remove depressions. How long results last depends upon the type of collagen injection treatment being performed.
Zyderm® and Zyplast® are two types of bovine-based collagen fillers. These injectable fillers are used to treat fine lines and superficial scars. Bovine-based collagen injections typically last three months. When used on deeper lines and skin folds, results usually don’t last more than two months.
Autologen is collagen filler made from a person’s own skin, usually obtained during past operations. Collagen is extracted from the skin, then sterilized and liquefied to be re-injected into the patient. Autologen is used to treat deep wrinkles and folds such as those in the nasolabial area. Due to the fact that this is the patient’s own collagen, it is less likely to be reabsorbed by the body, meaning it can last for as long as nine months.
Dermalogen is a type of collagen filler that is derived from deceased human donors. Collagen injections with dermalogen are used to treat nasolabial folds, frown and peri-oral lines, scars, and thinning lips. This type of injection is also human-derived, so it is not likely to be reabsorbed immediately. It can last up to six months.
Isolagen is often used in the treatment of acne scars, deep wrinkles and thinning of the lips. Isolagen injections also involve the use of the patient’s own skin. Collagen-making cells are obtained by removing a piece of skin from behind the patient’s ear and culturing it. The injection of collagen-making cells stimulates the patient’s own body to produce more collagen. This type of treatment is considered semi-permanent, since it can last as long as ten years.
Longer results can be achieved with the use of hybrid collagen fillers such as Artefill®. These types of collagen injections involve a mixture of bovine collagen and small plastic spheres. When the bovine collagen breaks down over time, the plastic spheres maintain the results for an extended period of time while stimulating the body to produce more of its own collagen. Hybrid collagen fillers can provide results that last ten years of longer, depending upon the area being treated.