Surgeons' skin filler - hyaluronic acid - may erase wrinkles

Surgeons' skin filler may erase wrinkles

Extract:

"Cosmetic surgeons often use hyaluronic acid, a natural material that helps glue skin cells together, to repair acne scars and fill in the lines and wrinkles of ageing. It was approved a few years ago but despite being in widespread use the detailed, biochemical effects on the skin have not been known until now.

Although natural hyaluronic acid lasts no more than days in the body, it is chemically toughened for use by surgeons using a process called cross linking, and is also thought to have longer lasting effects because it draws water into the skin as it is broken down.

A team reports today in the Archives of Dermatology that injections of hyaluronic acid also appear to stimulate production of collagen, the major structural protein in the skin, and may partially restore the structure of sun-damaged skin."

"the Michigan team found that the effects were also because the injections induced new collagen production in skin by stretching skin cells called fibroblasts.

Although it was unclear whether a single injection stimulated enough collagen to create noticeable clinical changes, "we hypothesise that collagen accumulation from multiple injections over time may yield durable cosmetic effects. Long-term studies correlating biochemical changes to observable clinical improvements may clarify this."

These findings suggest that, in addition to its cosmetic benefits, hyaluronic acid may be beneficial in skin-wasting diseases that involve collagen deficiencies, such as those associated with cortisone injections."


'skin-wasting diseases that involve collagen deficiencies, such as those associated with cortisone injections' are the fate of steroid victims - i.e. people grossly harmed by negligent prescribing/monitoring. - I wonder whether they will, in fact, ever be offered this treatment. - My personal experience as a steroid victim is that the medical profession offers steroid victims little apart from insults, casuistry, cover-up and misinformation...