COLLAGEN INJECTION

Pros

• Collagen injections are clinically proven to fill wrinkles, lines, and scars. They’re especially effective at treating pitted acne scars.  
• This is a relatively quick, in-office cosmetic procedure.
• There’s no downtime, so you’ll be ready to return to normal activities immediately after your treatment.
• Collagen fillers like Bellafill last up to five years, making it the longest-lasting temporary dermal filler available.

Cons

• Most collagen injection products are derived from animals. While new methods of purifying and processing animal collagens have made them safer, allergic reactions can still happen. Be upfront with your doctor about your health history and consider doing an allergy test for bovine (beef) and lidocaine allergies prior to your treatment. 
• Side effects can include stinging, throbbing, bruising, burning, and irritation at the injection site, though this usually resolves within an hour or two of treatment. 
• More serious risks include infection, permanent lumps, irregularities, and, rarely, a wound or blockage if the injection punctures a blood vessel. Newer hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers have fewer associated risks.   
• While they’re typically longer-lasting than HA fillers, results can diminish as soon as one month after treatment, depending on how quickly your body metabolizes the collagen. 
• Like other temporary dermal fillers, it won’t deliver the same dramatic results in treating deep folds and wrinkles as a facial plastic surgery procedure, like a facelift).

Related: Injectable Bruises? Been There. Here’s How to Handle Them Without Hiding Out.

Your cost will depend on the experience level of your doctor, their office location, the type of filler you get, and the amount of collagen you receive.

Like natural collagen, collagen replacements break down over time, so you’ll need maintenance treatments every one to five years. How long your results last will depend on the type of collagen filler you have and how your body metabolizes it. 

Applying a high-SPF sunscreen daily may help prolong your filler results.

Topical collagen creams or gels won’t give you the same results as an injectable filler. They work only on the outermost layer of skin, and while they can help keep skin supple, they can’t replicate the effects of injected collagen.

You may want to consider these alternative dermal fillers. 

• Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers: HA is naturally found in your body, and its main function is to keep skin, eyes, and tissue lubricated. An HA filler replenishes existing moisture levels and adds volume by filling in the space between collagen and elastin fibers in your skin while attracting and binding additional moisture. HA fillers include Juvéderm, Restylane, Perlane, Prevelle, Elevess, Belotero. Results vary, but they can last from six months to two years. 

• Radiesse: FDA-approved for deep facial wrinkles and hand enhancement, this semipermanent filler adds volume and stimulates your body’s collagen production, so it lasts much longer in terms of erasing lines and improving texture. Expect results to last up to 18 months. 

• Facial fat transfer: You can fill wrinkles and plump lips with fat from other parts of your body, such as your butt, thighs, or abdomen. There’s low risk for allergic reaction, and the procedure is relatively quick: Dr. Mark G. Albert, a New York plastic surgeon, says “I do it in less than an hour in my office, under local anesthesia only. There is minimal pain and minimal swelling. Usually 50–60% of fat survives, and that fat stays with you indefinitely.” The downside? The fat has to be harvested first, via liposuction (a surgical procedure), so facial fat transfer is much more expensive than fillers.  

• Sculptra (Poly-L-lactic acid): This synthetic polymer was developed from dissolvable stitches and bone screws, so you know it’s serious business. It works by stimulating the body’s own collagen to plump skin and improve texture. The process is gradual—you’ll have three treatments over the course of three to four months—and results can last up to two years. 

While they’re not fillers, prescription retinoids, like Retin-A, are clinically proven to protect your skin from aging and slowly boost collagen.

Collagen injections and dermal fillers add or restore volume. They fill and plump skin, soften folds, and contour the face and jawline. 

Neuromodulators like Botox, on the other hand, temporarily relax the muscles, to soften the appearance of “dynamic” fine lines and wrinkles (the ones that show up with movement) and prevent new ones from forming.

These two very different injectables are often used together, as they offer complementary benefits. Some providers call this combo a liquid facelift.