Dermal Filler: Autologous human collagen (Autologen)

Generic name: Autologous human collagen

Brand(s): Autologen

Maker / Website: Collagenesis Corp.

Cost: about $1,200 - $1,500 for 3 cc

Allergy test required: No

Durability: 4 to 9 month

Function / Purpose:
Treatment of wrinkles, deep folds (such as the nasolabial folds), frown lines, especially vertical frown lines between eyebrows (glabellar region); lip augmentation; filling depressed scars and similar indentations.

Summary:
Autologen is injectable collagen derived from the patient's own skin harvested at the time of a facelift, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), breast reduction, breast lift or other procedure involving tissue excision.

Contraindications:
Allergy to local anesthetics.

Details:
Skin tissue obtained from a patient during an unrelated procedure is packaged, put on ice and sent to the processing lab. In the lab, collagen (mainly type I) is extracted, sterilized, solubilized (as a suspension) and prepared it for re-injection. A patient's processed liquid collagen can be stored for up to five years in a cryo-freezer for later use.

Injecting autologous (your own) collagen has a number of benefits including eliminating the risk of rejection, immunological reaction, and disease transmission. Autologen is somewhat more durable than bovine collagen because it does not get attacked by the immune system and may get partly cross-linked (meshed together) with local collagen at the treatment site.

The major drawbacks to Autologen are the requirement of the previous surgical procedure to acquire skin and a processing time of 3-4 weeks. Also, repeat treatments may be required and anesthesia may be necessary for injection.