Artecoll® - Dermal Fillers

This filler is not commonly used in the U.K because most practitioners still prefer to use non-permanent fillers, resorbable in application. The generic composition is 20 percent PMMA microspheheres, which is about 30 to 40 microns and 80 percent bovine dermal collagen. It is made from collagen derived from the skins of cows in combination with polymethyl and methacrylate beads (PMMA). It is permanent filler.

Patients choosing to use the product should undergo medical tests about four weeks prior to the treatment just to ensure that their bodies will be compatible with the product and avoid any severe side effects by getting an appropriate alternative. During the tests, a collagen test implant is normally administered intradermally into the patient‘s forearm to determine the level of sensitivity of the patient’s body, if any. Proven results over the years derived from performed tests indicate that 97 percent of the men and women tested can actually be treated with bovine collagen.

It is normally used to treat nasolabial and radial folds, perioral lines, lip augmentation, depressed mouth corners, acne scars and glabeler frowns. It should never be used on patients who show potential for allergic reactions during testing and those who have any history for serious allergic reactions to similar products, like Zyderm. Anyone undergoing or planning to undergo injections for desensitization towards meat products cannot use it as well. Other prohibited groups include breastfeeding or pregnant women, patients who have an autoimmune history, those likely to develop hypertrophic scars and also people with established hypersensitivity to lignocaine.

The mode of injection is subdermally with the amount determined by the size of affected areas. A larger area will definitely require higher amounts of the injection. The body degrades the collagen within a period of 1 to 3 months, by which time all the microspheres will have been fully encapsulated in the body with negligible inflammatory reactions. The tissue holds the acrylate balls of Artecoll®’ in place infinitely.

The process will be complete in 2 to 4 months after an injection is administered. The microspheres of Artecoll® are totally non-biodegradable and very difficult to migrate, thus making the tissue augmentation long lasting. Some of the side effects that can be experienced include redness, pain, discolouration, itching and swelling.