Facial Lines -- Erase Them Permanently Without Surgery? Artefill is now FDA approved
Artesense, Dermalive, Rosence and Matrixyl 3000
Permanent fillers for the sagging face. Want to turn back the clock on the aging face without surgery? Check the web for Artefill, Artesense, Dermadeep or Dermalive. They are permanent fillers ( permanent means 6 months or more in dermatology speak) for facial lines and scars. The last 3 are not available in the U.S., but now you don't have to go to Canada, or any of 15-20 other countries where they have be available for about 8 years, to get them because Artefill, Juvederm and Radiesse are now FDA approved. It's not cheap, about $900 for one treatment. These fillers are made from acrylic hydrogel and hyluronic acid, ground up ocular lens implant material. The web sites for these products will give you all the details, so I won't put them here. I have not tried this. You get a skin test for allergic reaction 4 weeks before any treatments. Most include Novocaine, a local anesthetic. I'm allergic to that and a few others. (Local anesthetic allergy has only been recognized in the last 15 years or so. That's another topic.)
Recently I talked to an experienced and respected cosmetic surgeon about really permanent fillers that contain small spheres of a non-desolvable material. Such treatments have been available in Europe for about 6 years but have just been approved in 2010 in the U. S. His opinion was negative. He didn't want the ethical responsibility of a permanent relationship with a patient that putting such material into the face necessitates, and cited reports of bacterial infections, which start years after the filler is placed in the person's face. The cost is high, about $4000. That scared me out of trying it. I'll go with temporary, if any, fillers. They can last up to 18 months, if a second treatment is done 5-6 months after the initial injections. The cost to fill the marionette lines is about $700-800. There is a rebate program, Dec. 2009 to ____when I don't know, for one brand.
Matrixyl 3000 actually works, in liquid or cream form, to reduce wrinkles over 3-4 months. I've used it with good results for lines between the eyebrows. It completely eliminated some small frown lines there with 3 months treatment. The lines have not returned for a year since I stopped using it. You want at least a 5% solution. You can get in on E-bay for a good price in a formulation with other ingredients that reduce wrinkles and hydrate the skin.
Thread lift is surgery, but with minimal incisions, just a 1/4 " or so to get the thread started. It's often referred to as "one-stitch" surgery because the "thread", medical sutures with barbs that catch the tissue so it can be pulled up, is small. As with any procedure, problems can occur and have been reported. This is for small improvements, though the before and after pictures often look dramatic. They do not seem to represent typical results. The hype around this treatment has died down, and I can only assume it's because it does not give the advertised results. Do your homework and seek a surgeon who has a lot of experience with this.
Your feedback is what I'm looking for. What are real people's experiences with these treatments? The web sites for these products have testimonials and before and after pictures, but you must always consider who benefits from information, as part of your evaluation. I have no connection to any of these products. I just like sharing information.
