Wrinkle Injections - Methods

As far as the treatment process is concerned, wrinkle correction via injection is similar to wrinkle correction procedures with botulinum toxin, e.g. botox®. Only the active mechanism is different, which is why different substances are also injected. Whereas treatment using botulinum toxin, e.g. botox®, involves inhibiting the contraction of the muscles in order to smooth wrinkles, wrinkle injection using tissue filler achieves the smoothing of wrinkles by filling slackened parts of the skin, providing support for the tissue, or increasing the amount of moisture and elasticity in the skin through the injected material.

Possible tissue fillers used for this procedure are natural substances known as bio-implants, synthetic preparations, or one's own body fat. The described substances are injected under the wrinkles using fine needles under local anaesthesia; autologous fat (fat from one's own body) is removed from a separate spot on the body in advance via suction. Among the most commonly used bio-implants are collagen and hyaluronan; synthetic polylactic acid is also often inserted.

Collagen is a natural protein taken from animal skin that is cleansed and prepared for injection using a special process. Once it is injected under the wrinkles, it binds itself to the body's own collagen, fills up slackened skin parts, and forms a natural protective framework for the surrounding tissue. Swelling after the procedure generally goes down within 24 hours. Hyaluranon is what is called a natural polysaccharyl, which is responsible for the lubrication and elasticity of the skin. With increasing age, hyaluranon content in the skin decreases; this can be compensated through the injection of colorless gel in some cases, thus raising sunken skin tissue.

Crystalline polylactic acid likewise effects an increase in the volume of collagen fibres and stimulates the formation of new fibres, which ultimately leads to a soft buildup of tissue and resulting mitigation of wrinkles.
In order to obtain the most complete results, it may be necessary, depending on the characteristics of the wrinkles, to repeat the treatment involving the above-mentioned filling substances at intervals of 1-2 weeks. For injections of polylactic acid, there should be at least four weeks between treatments.

"Frown lines" (glabellar wrinkles) on the forehead as well as folds between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds) can also typically be treated via the injection of autologous fat. The fat previously removed from another spot on the body under local anaesthesia is injected, thus achieving increased volume and tautening of the skin.