ArteFill®

ArteFill® is an injectable implant dermal filler especially formulated for the correction of the nasolabial fold (laugh lines), the creases that appear between the nose and mouth on either side of the mouth and deepen with age.

What sets ArteFill® apart from all other dermal fillers is that the effects are permanent.  The formula is a combination of homogeneous precision-filtered microspheres suspended in a solution of purified bovine collagen gel together with 0.3% lidocaine, a local anesthetic.  It is manufactured by Artes Medical, a California company, and was FDA approved in 2006.

ArteFill® is injected using very fine needles directly under the crease lines where it remains to support the epidermis layer and smooth out the crease.  Because the special microspheres are not absorbed by the body, they remain in place permanently.  These microspheres also stimulate the body to produce new collagen.  It is not appropriate for use on thin skinned areas such as eyelids or on crow’s feet.

See also: Dermal Fillers: The Quickest Fix in Skin Rejuvenation

Artecoll®

Brand name of a non-absorable injectable implant dermal filler with the same formulation as ArteFill® which is manufactured and distributed in Europe and Canada by a company in The Netherlands (not related to Artes Medical).

Blue Light Therapy

Blue Light Therapy is a non-invasive acne treatment using high-intensity visible blue wavelengths of light directed on the skin that create a toxic environment inside the targeted pores that kills acne-causing bacteria.  Treatments are safe and painless and exposure is usually in short sessions on a weekly basis.  Blue Light Therapy is very often combined with other light therapy treatments such as PhotoFacial ^SM Elite and Levulon®.

See also: A Fresh Start: The Importance of Skin Exfoliation

Botox® Cosmetic

Botox® Cosmetic is a drug prepared from the purified protein toxin produced by the clostridium botulinum bacteria - Botulinum Toxin A.  It is the best known of seven distinct botulinum neurotoxin serotypes (A,B,C,D,E,F, and G.  It is injected into specifically determined sites using fine needles where it physiologically weakens facial muscles, thus allowing creases to relax and the surface skin to appear smoother. 

Botox® Cosmetic is manufactured by Allergan Inc. of Irvine, California.  Botox® Cosmetic received US FDA approval in April 2002 for “the temporary relief of moderate to severe glabellar lines (frown lines) between the brows in people 8 to 65 years of age”.  When administered by a board certified plastic surgeon or licensed physician it may also be used to smooth forehead lines, crows’ feet, and upper lip lines.  When properly administered, Botox® Cosmetic is considered safe and effective, and side effects are uncommon.  The effect lasts between to 4 months.