|
Innovations In Cosmetic Surgery: Human Derived Collagen and Fast Healing Lasers (2001)
-- For the first time ever, patients can be treated for facial wrinkles, furrows and other skin defects, such as acne scars, using collagen derived from their own skin, according to
Arthur Millman, M.D., a facial and oculoplastic surgeon at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Dr. Millman, who has treated 120 patients using the breakthrough technique, and who is part of an 18 month national trial, says, "We are seeing exciting preliminary results using human-based dermal implants. The treatment appears to be safe, easy to perform, effective and it lasts longer than standard collagen treatments, such as bovine injectable fillers, which are degraded easily by the body." The treatment is being used for patients who are seeking facial cosmetic and reconstructive treatments for depressed scars (caused by trauma, surgery, or acne blemishes) and for a variety of types of wrinkles including those along the side of the nose, above the lips, along the top of the lip, between the eyebrows,
crow's-feet and at the corners of the mouth. To produce the new collagen, a small amount of the patient’s skin is excised -- either during a cosmetic surgery operation or specifically for this purpose alone -- and through a special process turned into a collagen-rich solution which is then injected back into the depressed dermal areas of the same individual. Self derived collagen is not a replacement for laser skin-resurfacing, which is used for deeper wrinkles and furrows. The new collagen process typically requires three treatments, with appearance improving progressively after each treatment.
 TOP
Erbium Laser Heals Rapidly After Removing Deep Wrinkles
Dr. Millman is also one of the nation’s pioneers in using a much faster-healing laser procedure, in which patients who have deep wrinkles removed heal in one to three weeks versus several months, which is the standard amount of time currently.
"The new Erbium YAG laser is revolutionizing facial rejuvenation," says Millman, who has used the procedure for over a year. "It has dramatically reduced healing time, is versatile in treating a broad range of skin types and colors, has more precise control over how skin is removed than previous lasers, and is very efficient in removing large skin areas with wrinkles rapidly."
Dr. Millman says that the two new treatments can be used in tandem to produce dramatic results in cosmetic surgery.
TOP
|
Printer-Friendly Page
Large Print Version