The History of Dermal Fillers

In case you’re wondering about how dermal fillers, such as Juvéderm® and Restylane®, came into existence, here is a brief history of the use and advancement of dermal fillers. It all started with fat transplants! And yes, we still do this today. Back in 1893 a Dr. Neuber was the very first doctor to attempt transplanting fat in order to fill out facial defects. Neuber would take fat from the arms to use. However, by the mid 20th century, yep you guessed it, silicone started to be investigated. Silicone was used from the 40s through the 50s, but patients would developed granulomas, small nodules of the foreign substance. This was definitely undesirable, and potentially dangerous therefore silicone was banned until 1992, until a safer form was developed.

By the 1970s, various animal collagens had been researched enough to use on humans. Collagen injections and implants were introduced. The trade names for cow derived collagen were Zyderm and Zyplast, to name a couple. The FDA first approved Zyderm, which was developed at Stanford University. But then at the beginning of this century,newer non-bovine collagen fillers were being developed, too. Meanwhile, Hyaluronic Acid fillers were being experimented with around the world. These were studied and compared to second generation non-bovine collagen in order to find which was more effective and safer. Later still, in 2006, a new family of next-generation hyaluronic acid fillers was approved by the FDA. The first one approved was Restylane®. Ultimately the synthetic fillers won out. Consequently, cosmetic surgeons now have an array of dermal fillers to choose from.

Dermal fillers each have their place, use, and various patients have better results with different fillers. It is important to consult with your board certified cosmetic surgeon to see which is the right one for the cosmetic procedure you want, and which is best for you personally. A variety of dermal fillers are available at Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center, from Juvéderm® to Restylane® to Sculptra, we want the best for you.

Dr. Branman

Call Melinda to set up your consultation at 501-227-0707