Novel Use of 3-D Imaging Technique for Precise Measurement of Injectable Wrinkle Reducers

Philadelphia: A three-dimensional imaging technique often used in the automotive and aerospace industries for accurate measurement may be useful to measure the efficacy of injectable wrinkle reducers such as Botox and Dysport, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The procedure, called three-dimensional speckle tracking photogrammetry, is described in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Authors say it has the potential to measure the efficacy of several treatments for which these types of injections are used, not only for cosmetic purposes but also to reduce facial paralysis arising from stroke and Bell’s palsy.

A new treatment fot wrinkles

Chung-An: Volumetric deficiencies are increasingly recognized as a major component of the ageing process, and the use of injectable fillers has steadily increased. Soft-tissue augmentation with Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers has been the most frequently used treatment to correct facial wrinkles. However, the efficacy of HA fillers is short-lived.

A new type of filler was developed whose efficacy was recently studied by researchers at Chung-Ang University Hospital (CAUH). For the first time in Korea’s medical history, CAUH researchers confirmed the efficacy and safety of poly-DL-lactic acid (PDLA, Aesthefill®), which promotes volumization through the production of collagen.

Researchers led by Prof. Kim Beom-Joon of the Department of Dermatology, studied the efficacy of injection with PDLA fillers compared with HA fillers, and found out that both injections provide comparable efficacy and safety. In this comparative study, 58 Koreans with deep nasolabial folds were randomized for injections with PDLA or HA into both nasolabial folds and observed for 24 weeks. Efficacy was determined by calculating the changes in Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale (WSRS)  relative to baseline, and local safety was assessed by reported adverse events. At week 24, mean improvement in WSRS from baseline was 2.09±0.68 for the PDLA side and 1.54 ±0.65 for the HA side. Both injections were well tolerated, and the adverse reactions were mild and transient in most cases.

PDLA promotes volumization through the production of collagen and vascularization of existing collagen, whereas Hyaluronic Acid is injected to the wrinkle to replace lost volume. The major difference of PDLA filler from exiting fillers is that it facilitates the formation of collagen and thus the efficacy is amplified 3-6 months after the injection.

PDLA with a porous wall structure has been developed and used overseas, as a filler to stimulate collagen production, providing better volume results. It was only recently that a Korean company (REGEN Biotech) developed PDLA filler, Aesthefill®, using its independent technology.

 “Since Aesthefill® has equal-sized particles, it provides more natural results with less pain compared to exiting PLA fillers. Introduction of Aesthefill® is expected to facilitate the research and development of other types of filler materials in Korea”, Professor Kim said.

CAUH researchers’ study is recently published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (SCI Journal) and is scheduled to be published in the March 2015 issue of the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.