Collagen Replacement Therapy

Make-up can improve the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles, and a good skin care program can help prevent them. There is, however, a non-surgical procedure called Collagen Replacement Therapy®, also known as CRT, which actually smoothes out facial lines, creases, wrinkles and scars by replenishing the natural collagen support layer beneath your skin. And although CRT is a non-surgical treatment, it offers specific benefits that cannot be achieved with even the most sophisticated facial contouring cosmetic surgery.

It's important to understand the vital role collagen plays in the natural health and beauty of your skin. After all, skin is the body's largest and most visible organ. Understanding how your skin works is essential to preserving both its practical and attractive qualities. Skin is composed of two layers. The uppermost or outer layer of skin is called the epidermis, and it acts as a protective barrier, controlling the loss of water from cells and tissues. Without the epidermis your body would quickly dehydrate.

Just beneath the epidermis is the second layer of skin called the dermis. This layer is composed primarily of a protein called collagen. The collagen layer forms a network of fibers that provides a framework for the healthy growth of cells and blood vesssels. As the primary component of the dermis, collagen serves as the support structure for your skin. When your skin is young, the collagen framework is intact, keeping your skin moisturized and elastic.

As you age, the collagen framework weakens, and your skin loses its elasticity. It is the gradual loss of the natural supply of collagen that causes wrinkles, lines and creases to form. Every smile, frown or squint puts stress on and weakens the collagen supply. Older skin is less resilient, so facial lines that appear with a smile or frown don't disappear when you stop smiling or frowning. In the early 1970s, biochemists and physicians at Stanford University conducted an extensive study of the skin's protein and its relationship to connective tissue in order to research skin graft alternatives. In the course of their study, they developed the concept of using a compatible biological material that could safely replace the loss of collagen as it occurs. The result of their work led to identifying a natural substance derived from purified bovine (cow) collagen that can be injected just beneath the skin's surface into the deep dermis.

The medical use of collagen began decades ago when scientifically purified animal collagen was used in surgical sutures. Continued research led to wide use of collagen in a number of applications, including heart valves and as an agent to stop bleeding during surgery. Research by Collagen Corporation led to the development of Zyderm® and Zyplast® Collagen Implants. Today, more than one million people worldwide have received collagen Replacement Therapy.

CRT (Collage Replacement Therapy) replenishes the skin's natural collagen support layer, smoothing facial lines and most facial scars. CRT is a non-surgical treatment in which Zyderm and/or Zyplast Collagen Implants are injected just beneath the skin's surface. CRT produces an immediately visible difference in the appearance of your skin, filling in wrinkles and creases.

It's important to understand that treatment with collagen is highly individual, and each treatment program is designed based on your age, skin condition, the amount of sun damage and the amount of correction that is needed. The same amount of collagen that would give one person full correction may result in inadequate or partial correction for another person. For most patients, treatment programs are easily determined and maintained.

During treatment, collagen is injected through a very small hypodermic needle. Topical anesthetic cream is used. Minor defects can be corrected in a single treatment session, but some conditions require two or more treatment sessions, depending on the size and condition of the defect. After treatment, there is some redness and lumpiness at or around the injected areas, but this reaction is temporary and normally goes away in just a few days.

Once the replacement collagen has been injected, the material warms to the body, becomes stationary and is fixed within the tissue. Once the collagen has been in place for a few weeks, the injected areas have the appearance of normal skin.

The first step involves a simple skin test (performed on your forearm) to determine if you are sensitive to Zyderm or Zyplast Collagen Implants. You must watch the area very carefully over a four-week period. Research shows that approximately 97% of women and men tested show no reaction to the skin test and are eligible for treatment. If you do not have an adverse reaction to the skin test, you can begin treatment at the end of the four-week period. Typically, the treatment takes only 15 - 20 minutes, and you may return to work or regularly scheduled activities right away.

The treatments are performed either by a nurse injector or by Dr. Hartley or Dr. Crispin at the Atlanta Aesthetic Surgery Center. Together, you can review your medical history, discuss the benefits and risks of treatment and identify the specific areas to be treated. Although Collagen Replacement Therapy may not be appropriate for certain lines, wrinkles or scars or in certain medical conditions, it is a safe, convenient and immediate way to improve the appearance of facial skin.

Like the skin's natural collagen, the injected collagen begins to lose its form and will eventually wear down. In most cases where patients want to maintain good results, two to four treatments per year are required to maintain those results indefinitely.

Frown Lines
Acne Scars
Cheek Depressions
Vertical Lip Lines
Marionette Lines
Worry Lines
Crow's Feet
Deep Smile Lines (nasolabial furrows)
Smile Lines
Facial Scars

Please note: Although more than one million people have experienced success with their collagen treatments, some patients have reported adverse events. These are described in the safety summary brochure available in our office.