We’re surrounded by images of people with flawless skin—not a pore, line, wrinkle or scar in sight. Professional makeup, flattering lighting effects and airbrushing techniques make it easy to look good in magazines, on television and in the movies. It’s harder to look good in real life…but not as hard as you think.

Facial lines and wrinkles are caused by the wearing down of the natural collagen support layer that lies just beneath your skin. Creams can moisturize or exfoliate the surface of your skin, but they can’t diminish the lines or wrinkles that are caused by the wearing away of the underlying collagen support layer.

Collagen Replacement Therapy (CRT) is a safe, nonsurgical treatment that smooths out facial lines, wrinkles and scars by replenishing the natural collagen support layer beneath your skin. These results may be seen immediately.

What is collagen?
Skin, your body’s largest and most visible organ, is composed of two layers. The uppermost layer, called the epidermis, acts as a protective barrier. It controls the loss of water from cells and tissues; without it, your body would quickly dehydrate.

Just beneath the epidermis is the dermis. This layer is primarily composed of a protein called collagen. Collagen forms a network of fibers that provides a framework for the growth of cells and blood vessels. As the main component of the dermis, collagen acts as the support structure for your skin.

Why do lines appear?
When your skin is young, the collagen framework is intact, keeping your skin moisturized and elastic. Young skin is resilient—the facial lines that appear when you smile or frown simply disappear when you stop smiling or frowning.

Over time, the collagen framework weakens and your skin loses its elasticity. Older skin is less resilient, so the facial lines that appear with a smile or frown don’t disappear when you stop smiling or frowning.

Are creams containing collagen enough to smooth out lines?
Creams—with or without collagen—may temporarily diminish the harshness of facial lines or wrinkles, but they work only on the surface (the epidermis). Creams can’t penetrate the skin to remedy the underlying cause of lines or wrinkles—the depleted collagen support layer. Creams can, however, help to keep your skin supple by slowing the rate of water loss from the surface.

What specific lines and wrinkles can be treated with CRT?
Collagen Replacement Therapy is used for frown lines (between the eyes), acne scars, cheek depressions, vertical lip lines, marionette lines (at the corners of the mouth), worry lines (forehead), crow’s feet (at the corners of the eyes), deep smile lines (furrows extending from the nose area to the mouth), smile lines (around the mouth) and facial scars.

How does Collagen Replacement Therapy work?
CRT replenishes the skin’s natural collagen support layer, smoothing facial lines and most types of scars. CRT is a nonsurgical treatment in which Zyderm® and/or Zyplast® Collagen Implants (natural substances derived from purified bovine [cow] collagen) are injected just beneath the skin’s surface, where the body commonly accepts them as its own. CRT produces an immediately visible difference in the appearance of your skin.

How long does a session last?
Collagen Replacement Therapy is simple enough to be completed during your lunch hour.

What can I expect from Collagen Replacement Therapy?
It’s important to discuss your treatment expectations with your physician. Together, you can review your medical history, the risks and benefits of treatment, and the specific areas you want treated. CRT may not be appropriate for certain lines and scars, or in the presence of certain medical conditions. For most people, however, CRT is a safe, convenient—and immediate—way to treat lines and wrinkles.

However, as with natural collagen, injectable collagen eventually loses its form and wears down. Ongoing treatments are required to maintain the improvements achieved with CRT.

How do I get started with Collagen Replacement Therapy?
Start by asking your physician about a skin test. It’s a simple test performed on your forearm to determine if you are sensitive to Zyderm or Zyplast Collagen Implants. You must watch the area carefully over a four-week period. Approximately 97 percent of women and men tested show no reaction to the skin test and are eligible for treatment.

Contact our cosmetic surgeons to schedule your consultation for Collagen Replacement Therapy. The Centre, P.C. offers the latest skin care procedures, including Collagen Replacement Therapy, to patients in Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana, the Michiana area, and Chicago.

 

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

ASPS ASAPS AAAASF