What Is Collagen?

    Collagen is actually part of the natural support structure of your skin.  Wrinkles form when its natural collagen thins.  This loss is mostly a factor of aging, but sun exposure, pollution, health, heredity, and lifestyle also play a role.  Collagen replacement therapy (Using Zyderm and Zyplast collagen implants) replenishes the skin's collagen layer, smoothing lines and wrinkles, and adding definition to lip borders from the inside out, with immediate results.  Collagen has been FDA approved and used successfully on millions of patients for over 15 years!

    Restylane is a synthetic form of the natural filler material "hyaluronic acid" which resembles collagen and is found in skin tissue.  Because Restylane is a pure synthetic product it does not require allergy skin testing as with collagen.  Restylane lasts twice as long as collagen and gives the same results as with collagen.  Restylane has been used for many years on millions of people and it is FDA approved for the treatment of wrinkles.  For patients who are committed to long term maintenance, Restylane is a more cost effective treatment as it lasts longer than collagen but costs only slightly more.

What Types Of Wrinkles Can Be Treated?

    Zyderm and Zyplast Collagen & Restylane can correct virtually any type of wrinkle.  Most commonly treated areas are the nasolabial lines, the lines around the lips, and the oral commissure lines.  Depending on the deepness and location of the wrinkles, the doctor will decide what type of collagen or Restylane would be best for you.  Collagen & Restylane can also be used on the lips to give them a fuller more attractive appearance.

    Depending on how many wrinkles you need to have corrected, most collagen & Restylane injections take about 15-30 minutes.  There is a slight pain with every injection but you can use a numbing cream prior to the treatment to make the injections more comfortable.  You will have a small amount of redness and swelling around the injection sites, but that will resolve within a few hours.  Your skin may be slightly sensitive for 1-2 days, but you can generally resume all regular activities. 

    Collagen is extremely safe with very little side effects.  The main side effect is an allergic reaction which we avoid by performing an allergy test before the treatment.  Restylane does not require an allergy skin test as it is a pure synthetic material.   Minor side effects are usually redness and skin sensitivity which resolve within a few hours to a day.  Collagen has been FDA approved and used safely and effectively on millions of patients for over 15 years!  Restylane is also FDA approved and has been safely used for many years.

    Restylane does not require an allergy test.  However, Zyplast and Zyderm collagen are derived from bovine (cow) collagen.  Certain people may be allergic to the bovine collagen and therefore must be tested for allergies.   The allergy test is quite simple, a small amount of collagen is injected under the forearm skin and observed for any signs of allergies for 4 weeks.  Allergic reactions are extremely uncommon and occur in less than 1% of people.

    You will see immediate results after the collagen & Restylane injection.  The final result may be more apparent once the redness and swelling have gone down within a few hours.

    Collagen injections last for about 3-6 months, varies per individual.  Restylane usually lasts twice as long than collagen.  The injected material is slowly absorbed and removed by the body after several months.  You can reinject collagen and Restylane once it has worn off and you can keep reinjecting it for as long as you would like.  Collagen & Restylane have been proven to be very safe over a long term as collagen has been used now for over 15 years!

    The price varies depending on the how many and how deep the wrinkles are which you want treated.   In general, collagen & Restylane are priced by the amount which is injected, per c.c.
     Most wrinkles, such as the nasolabial lines, may require 1c.c. of collagen, or about 0.7cc of Restylane.  Once the doctor sees you we can give you a more accurate price for the treatment.