Dermablue - Asheville

A: With microneedling, you are not able to break down collagen, as it’s only a mechanical process. This can be an effective starting point to treat acne scarring for a very mild effect. At Dermablue, we use RF microneedling for acne scarring. With RF microneedling, you add ‘heat/energy’ to the needles to enhance the effectiveness of neocolagenesis, ie collagen formation (volumization, ie mild filling of scarring) along with the ‘mechanical’ or physical breaking up scar tissue with the microneedles.

Yes, you need to be careful with the depth of treatment with RF microneedling. If you treat ‘too deep’ you can theoretically break down fat. With advanced machines/technology, this effect is minimized, as the machine is ‘smart’ enough to know the difference between scar tissue/dermal tissue and fat based on the different water content of the tissues. Not all machines are created equally; at Dermablue we use the ‘Genius’ system by Lutronic. It’s been a game changer for us.

Often with severe scarring, you need to fill the scarring with fillers. CO2 laser works well to smooth and tighten the top layer of skin. For significant scarring, I recommend a variety of treatments to use together to get an optimal outcome.

A: The short answer is no. In order for a substance to move in the body phagocytosis has to occur. Phagocytosis occurs when the body's white blood cells engulf the foreign substance. The PMMA in Bellafill is greater than 40 µm so the microspheres become encapsulated in the dermis. This is the reason it makes the surface of the skin look better and why it is so long lasting. I hope this helps. Best of luck!

A: Most likely, no.  It really depends on your age and how much volume loss you currently have. That being said: Bellafill is sold as a kit of five because most patients will require at least that much. Bellafill is different than other fillers because what you are seeing in the syringe isn't exactly what you are getting. The bovine collagen is just a carrier for the PMMA, which is the component that makes Bellafill so long lasting. The bovine collagen is gone in 4 to 6 weeks. Your own collagen seamlessly replaces the bovine collagen. A kit of Bellafill has approximately one-half teaspoonful of PMMA in all five syringes.  That isn't very much. Studies estimate that people lose one teaspoonful of facial volume every year after age 35. This means more Bellafill will be needed  over time. The longevity of the product allows patients to go much longer between treatments while still looking great!