HISTORY OF DERMAL FILLERS 020 7229 4627 07885532883 Book Online

Man has been on an age-long quest to maintain a youthful appearance. Many drugs, techniques, and technologies have been experimented, albeit with varying results. The invention of the syringe sometimes in the 19th Century also marked a turning point in the evolution of methods used for correcting wrinkles. Direct injections into the face were possible and surgeons were not afraid to explore this technique.

Today’s success story in the field of dermal fillers is by no means an easy ride. Historical records show paraffin is the first substance injected to be injected as a dermal filler, but it was abandoned due to the multiple complications arising from its use. Silicone is another example of a material that has been widely experimented but its use was also discontinued due to safety concerns. Research into the field continued and a major breakthrough was made with the discovery of bovine collagen.

First used I 1976, bovine collagen injections displayed amazing results but short duration of action and animal origin proved major limitations to its use. More recently, many products have been developed to help solve the limitations of collagen.

The products usually contain hyaluronic acid as a supplement and examples include Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane etc. Current British regulations on dermal fillers are not very stringent and many of the products being advertised have only undergone minimal testing. You should, therefore, be careful and only go for dermal filling at rusted centres.