Collagen Injection Alternatives - What Works Best?

There are many options available for filling in wrinkles and smoothing out the skin of your face. Most non-surgical procedures use a dermal filler. There are numerous types of dermal fillers on the market such as Radiesse, Restylane, Captique, Juvederm, and Arte-fill.


The administration procedure is painless, involving a few injections with a very tiny needle. They plump up wrinkles, effectively eliminating them, as well as smoothing tiny lines and other signs of aging. It is best to have a consultation to hear about each filler, some last longer than others and the costs vary. We have an office in San Francisco and Marin.
 

For lip augmenation there a few alternatives to traditional collagen:


Evolence- Does not require testing and fairly good track record of safety

Thin HA's- Restylane and Juvederm Ultra both are silkiest of HA's approved in the US

Alternatives to collagen injections to the lips include hyaluronic acid gels such as Juvederm Ultraplus or fat. Juvederm can be injected easily in the office, where I reserve fat injections as an ancillary procedure in the operating room. Both are safe, and both can have fairly long lasting effects. Collagen has fallen out of vogue for injections, though there are newer products on the horizon. I hope this helps.

Collagen used to be used frequently for a filler and to help plump up the lips. Several years ago we began using hyaluronic acid alternatives to the human and bovine collagen fillers. These are used to fill in the deeper creases, lines around the mouth and fill in the lips to plump them up. The fillers that my patients prefer are called Juvederm and Restylane. 

Collagen is of historical interest. There are a LOT better fillers out there. The hyaluronic acid class (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm etc) are the leaders. They last long and yet do not require skin testing and can be dissolved if you are not happy with the result. Other fillers like Sculptra and Radiesse have their own indications and are superior to collagen as well.\

Dr. Aldea