The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog
The Centre, P.C. offers the latest plastic surgery procedures to patients in Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana, Michiana and the Southern Michigan area, and Chicago.
A Skin Treatment Down the Road: Vavelta(R) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Current treatments for wrinkles aim at increasing the skin's collagen support and stimulating faster growth of new skin cells. A British company called Intercytex has devised a new wrinkle treatment called Vavelta(R) which is injected into the skin's second layer, the dermis. This is the layer containing the collagen and elastin support matrix (as well as many other structures such as hair follicles, sweat glands and blood vessels).Vavelta's specific goal is to treat both scarring and wrinkles caused by aging. In being injected into the dermis, Vavelta is like many existing treatments such as Restylane and Radiesse. But where Restylane is based on hyaluronic acid and Radiesse on calcium microspheres, Vavelta uses skin cells called fibroblasts.
These cells are obtained from a baby's foreskin after circumcision and one foreskin can provide hundreds of thousands of skin treatments. From the original cells, more cells can be grown in cultures and stored in a frozen state. Before any donated tissue is accepted, both the mother and baby are rigorously screened. Intercytex makes many products for the regeneration of skin and hair and their facilities comply with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) required by the European Union.
What are Fibroblasts?
Fibroblasts are a type of cell and the most common cell found in connective tissue. They excrete substances which lead to the creation and maintenance of support tissue throughout the body. The substances are precursors for collagen cells which make up (with elastin) the skin's support matrix. This is the matrix which dermal fillers like Restylane aim to strengthen. When Vavelta is injected into the dermis, the presence of the extra fibroblasts stimulates creation of new collagen, making up for the slow-down caused by aging.
FDA Approval?
Vavelta has been through Phase I testing in the U.K. and is currently in Phase II. These phases are FDA testing phases, where Phase I tests are done on animals and Phase II tests are done on small groups of volunteers.
Phase III testing is done on large groups of volunteers, in the hundreds or sometimes thousands. Intercytex is currently in discussions with the FDA about Phase III tests. These large tests take several years to complete, so FDA approval is down the road a ways. FDA officials will have to be convinced of Vavelta's safety and effectiveness before allowing it to be sold and used in the U.S.
Meantime, if you would like to know more about the skin rejuvenation treatments we currently offer, and which ones might be best for you, please contact our cosmetic surgery office for a personal consultation.
The Centre, P.C. is a unique plastic surgery practice located in northern Indiana. Our heartland values of compassion and concern for your particular needs are complemented by the professional expertise of our surgeons and staff.
At The Centre, P.C., we offer two tracks to patients in Elkhart and South Bend and throughout Indiana and southern Michiana. On the one side are our cosmetic surgery and skin care services and products. And on the other is a coordinated set of services – surgical as well as therapeutic – for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the hand, wrist and forearm due to illness or injury.
- 800.909.2992
Elkhart Office
RiverPointe Medical Building
500 Arcade Ave., Suite 300
Elkhart, IN 46514
Phone: 574-296-9100
FAX: 574-293-1511
South Bend Office
MEDICAL PAVILION I
720 EAST CEDAR STREET, SUITE 450
SOUTH BEND, IN 46617
PHONE: 574-233-9100
FAX: 574-233-9108
Chesterton Office
1830 SOUTH 11TH STREET
Chesterton, IN 46304
Phone: 219-395-9200
Create a Link
<< Back