The use of a cosmetic injection is a way of reducing the prominence of wrinkles and facial lines as well as of preventing the occurrence of new lines and creases on the face. There are several substances utilized in cosmetic injections. These include dermal fillers such as the body’s own fat, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, and the neurotoxin botulinum toxin.
One of the primary causes of facial skin folds and lines is the diminishing volume of lipid tissues underlying the skin. This is a natural occurrence as years pass. Adding volume to areas under wrinkled skin using dermal fillers will make the lines and folds less prominent. Many patients opt to use their own lipid tissues as dermal fillers. This is called a fat implant. In this cosmetic injection process, fat is taken from one part of the patient’s body and then deposited where a filler is needed.
Collagen makes up about 35 per cent of whole-body protein content. It is the most abundant protein found in mammals and is the main protein of connective tissue. It is extensively used in cosmetic surgery such as in the construction of artificial skin and the reconstruction of bone in burn patients. It gives the skin elasticity and strength. As skin ages, its collagen content decreases because the production of the protein wanes. The administration of collagen in a cosmetic injection seeks to increase the level of collagen content in the skin to restore a youthful appearance.
Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronate or hyaluronan, is naturally found in body tissues. It is involved in tissue repair in the skin, stimulating the production of collagen. It also hydrates the skin by binding water to it. Hyaluronic acid is abundant in youthful skin but as years pass its distribution and functions change, leading to the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles. Through a cosmetic injection of hyaluronic acid, the skin’s hyaluronic acid content is replenished.
Unlike the first three, botulinum toxin is not a dermal filler. It is a neurotoxic substance produced by the anaerobic, Gram positive, spore-forming bacteria Clostridium botulinum and causes botulism. It works by blocking the release of acetylcholine, a chemical neurotransmitter that relays messages from the brain to various parts of the body, between the nerve endings and muscle fibres at the cosmetic injection site, thereby rendering the muscles of the targeted area unable to contract. The resulting immobility renders facial lines and folds less noticeable.
A cosmetic injection, regardless of the type of substance injected, must be administered by a qualified medical professional. One who has expertise in facial anatomy and experience in injecting substances such as the ones mentioned above will ensure that the injections are made at the correct spots so that optimal benefits will be obtained. The medical professional will also help determine which cosmetic injection substance is best for the individual.
There are side effects associated with any type of cosmetic injection. These include headache, flu-like symptoms, temporary eyelid droop, nausea, squint/double vision, twitching of the eye, facial pain, redness at the injection site, and muscle weakness in the case of botulinum toxin injections. For hyaluronic acid injections, there could be pain, infection, allergic reactions, and scar formation. Injections of collagen could also generate allergic reactions.
The cosmetic injection botulinum toxin is commercially available from the pharmaceutical company Allergan under the trade names Botox Cosmetic and Vistabel, while an injectable gel form of hyaluronic acid is available under the brand name Restylane, from the rapidly growing biotechnology/medical device company Q-Med AB in Sweden.
