As people age, their faces begin to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure, and environmental damage; and the underlying tissues that keep skin looking youthful and plump begin to break down, leaving laugh lines, crow’s feet, or wrinkles. Advancements in minimally invasive aesthetic procedures have increased the demand for fillers and injectables that restore the youthful glow.

Before After

Bioform Medical

Radiesse® by Bioform Medical is a long-lasting injectable dermal filler used in many aesthetic, reconstructive, and therapeutic applications to augment soft tissue, such as facial wrinkles and folds. Radiesse contains calcium hydroxyapatite microspheres, suspended in an aqueous gel, that fill tissue and stimulate the body to produce new collagen with results that last up to 1 year. Radiesse may also be used to replace facial fat loss in patients with human immunodeficiency virus.

BioForm Medical Inc
1875 S Grant St, Suite 110,
San Mateo, CA 94402
(650) 286-4000
www.radiesse.com

Before After 8 mos.      After 12 mos.

Artes Medical

ArteFill® by Artes Medical is the only FDA-approved aesthetic injectable implant for the correction of nasolabial folds. ArteFill contains Precision-Filtered Microspheres™—made from poly(methy methacrylate)—suspended in a carrier gel containing ArteFill Purified Bovine Collagen™ with 0.3% lidocaine. The microspheres have diameters between 30 and 50 µm to prevent migration from the injection site. When injected under a nasolabial fold, the microspheres provide a permanent support matrix for enduring wrinkle correction. ArteFill is injected by the tunneling technique that is currently used with many temporary fillers. This technique ensures proper placement into the dermal–subdermal junction. ArteFill Progressive Enhancement™ allows physicians to provide wrinkle correction in stages tailored to the patient’s aesthetic-improvement goals.

Artes Medical Inc
5870 Pacific Center Blvd,
San Diego, CA 92121
(888) ARTEFILL
www.artesmedical.com

Before After

Allergan

Allergan offers the hyaluronic acid dermal fillers Juvéderm™ Ultra and Juvéderm Ultra Plus. Juvéderm Ultra is a cross-linked formulation that provides versatility for contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds. Juvéderm Ultra Plus is a robust cross-linked formulation for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles. Both Juvéderm products use Hylacross™ technology, a manufacturing process that creates a malleable gel that flows easily into the skin and creates a smooth, natural look and feel.

Allergan
2525 Dupont Dr,
Irvine, CA 92612-1599
(714) 246-4500
www.allergan.com

Additional fillers currently on the market

Puragen™ by Mentor Corp is an aesthetic filler that is injected under wrinkles and into the lips. Puragen replenishes volume by replacing support layers that deteriorate during the aging process and because of sun exposure and environmental damage. It features double-cross-linked hyaluronic acid, which is resistant to breakdown in the body, prolonging the plumping and volumizing effects.

Mentor Corp
201 Mentor Dr,
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 879-6000
www.mentorcorp.com

Restylane® by Medicis Aesthetics is a clear hyaluronic acid liquid gel that reduces facial wrinkles, particularly around the mouth and nose. Results are evident within 1 week. It eliminates deep wrinkles that cannot be accomplished by chemical peels or microdermabrasion.

Medicis Aesthetics Inc
8125 N Hayden Rd,
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2463
(877) 520-0500
www.restylaneusa.com

Sculptra® by Sanofi-Aventis is a synthetic poly(l-lactic acid) material that increases the thickness of the skin to treat skin folds and hollow or sunken areas of the face. The material is biocompatible and can be dissolved by the body. Results are evident over the course of a few weeks. Sculptra's results last up to 2 years, after which treatments must be repeated to maintain its benefit.

Sanofi-Aventis
55 Corporate Dr,
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(800) 981-2491
www.sculptra.com

Botox® by Allergan combats wrinkles created when nerve cells in muscles beneath the skin release a chemical called acetylcholine. This chemical triggers a muscle contraction that creates wrinkles. Botox disrupts the release of acetylcholine, essentially paralyzing the muscle and stopping the contraction. Results are fully evident within 1 week after treatment and last a minimum of 3 months.

Allergan Inc
PO Box 19534,
Irvine, CA 92623
(714) 246-4500
www.allergan.com