soft tissue augmentation
Smooth skin and full lips with well-accentuated borders are associated with youth and beauty. As your body's natural collagen begins to wear out due to aging, wrinkles and creases begin to appear. With time, the muscle and soft tissue that give lips fullness and definition gradually diminish in bulk, making them appear thin and indistinct.
Several injectable and implantable products are available to fill facial wrinkles and scars and to enlarge lips.
soft tissue injectables
Purified collagen products (Zyderm™ and Zyplast™) were first introduced in the 1980's but in Canada and Europe have since been replaced by longer lasting materials that do not require allergy skin testing prior to treatment.
Several hyaluronic acid based fillers are available (Restylane™, Restylane Fine-Lines™, Perlane™, Hylaform™, Hylaform Fine-Lines™, Hylaform Plus™, Juvederm™, Dermalive™, and Dermadeep™) that, when injected into your skin, work with your body's own hyaluronic acid to create the volume needed to lift lines and wrinkles. They can be used to correct frown lines, deep smile lines and to enhance the lips. The results are a healthy, vital appearance that can last up to 7 months for some individuals. The treated areas remain slightly red and swollen for 24 hours. On rare occasions, patients have experienced temporary swelling, redness and tenderness at or near the injection site several weeks after treatment.
Artecoll™ is considered a long lasting product containing both collagen and PMMA microspheres (a permanent material). This product has been available in Canada since 1999. It is used most commonly in the larger wrinkles, such as the nasolabial fold (between the mouth and cheek), and can help to augment the lips. As with any injectable filler, transient swelling and bruising may occur. Infrequent side effects include persistent redness, swelling and contour irregularities. A skin test is required to determine if any allergy to collagen exists.
All soft tissue augmentation injections are performed by Dr. Denton.
soft tissue implants
Advanta™ lip and nasolabial fold implants may be appropriate for individuals seeking a more permanent soft tissue augmentation solution. The Advanta™ implant is made of a soft, pliable synthetic material called ePTFE. This material has been safely used in more than 3.5 million people in an extensive range of medical and surgical procedures.
Under local anesthesia, the implant is inserted below the surface of the skin through a small incision. Swelling and bruising usually settles over the first 7 to 10 days. Continued softening of the implant is anticipated over the first 3 to 4 months. Rarely, infection or migration can occur necessitating implant removal or replacement
For more information, view November 2003 article in The Seattle Times: Fighting wrinkles: New products fill the lines of time 
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