• A simple one-step procedure.
• Medically proven to be safe and effective.
  Artecoll® has been used in more than 100,000 patients over the last ten years.
• Most patients required only one (62%) or two (24%) applications.
• Nine out of ten patients say they're satisfied with how they now look.
• Virtually 100% of patients had objective improvement upon post-treatment review.
• Results are considered permanent; there's no need to continually repeat treatment as with some other procedures. This can reduce your long-term costs.
• Unlike temporary fillers like collagen and hyaluronic acid, Artecoll® maintains its cosmetic results for years.

• Fill folds and wrinkles on the face, primarily around the nose and mouth (including depressed corners of the mouth), and fill in lines and creases on the forehead.
• Enhance and restore the fullness of your lips.
• Correct irregularities of the nose.
• Correct scars caused by acne and other conditions.
  
   

• A series of tiny injections under the skin's surface.
• Artecoll® fills the gaps, raising the skin to its normal height.
• Some minor smoothing may be done immediately after the injection.
• The procedure is done for you by Dr. Mosher, in his office.
• During the three to four months after your Artecoll® treatment, your body will lay down its own natural collagen around the Artecoll® particles, producing the long-lasting correction you desire. You may have another Artecoll® treatment in the same area after two to four months if additional correction is desired.

• During your consultation, Dr. Mosher can tell you if Artecoll® is a good option for you.
• In many cases, patients who have been satisfied with temporary fillers but are wanting a longer lasting alternative will choose to switch to Artecoll®.
• Artecoll® is best used in thicker skin and for deeper folds and depressions.
   

Frequently Asked Questions about Artecoll®
 

Artecoll® is an injectable implant used for the long-lasting correction of wrinkles and other skin depressions. Artecoll® is composed of ultra fine particles of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) which are suspended in a collagen solution. Artecoll® will soon be marketed in the United States under the trade name Artefill™.

Artecoll® in its current form has been used in different parts of the world for nearly a decade. As the technology to refine the size and smoothness of the PMMA particles has improved, the quality of the results obtained with Artecoll® has also improved. PMMA has been used as an implant by doctors and dentists for over 60 years in such common procedures as dental prostheses, eye lenses, bone repair, orthopedics and in pacemakers. PMMA is used because it is very safe and does not cause allergic reactions.

 

Artecoll® is meant to be a permanent implant to provide long-term support to the skin surface. Fillers like collagen (Zyplast™ and Zyderm™), Perlane™, Restylane® , Juvederm® and other products can also fill creases, lips, cheekbones, and shallow defects like acne scars. All other alternatives are meant to achieve temporary results. Some longer-lasting filler materials have less well-established safety profiles and have not been studied as extensively as Artecoll®. BOTOX® Cosmetic relaxes the underlying muscles which cause many facial lines and unwanted facial expressions. Frequently, Dr. Mosher will use BOTOX® Cosmetic in combination with Artecoll® when treating certain areas where permanent deep lines have resulted from overactive muscles creating repetitive folding of the skin. The most common example where combined therapy works best would be the frown lines between the eyebrows.

 

Artecoll® is very affordable even for those with modest incomes. However, just like any other non-essential item, most people need to budget for it just as they would for buying accessories like shoes and having their hair styled.

Artecoll® costs $700 per syringe, with a $75 discount for additional syringes used on the same day. Dr. Mosher still prefers to do a test dose of the collagen in which Artecoll® is suspended. This is done two or more weeks prior to your scheduled treatment and is done for no additional charge.

It is common to use a total of one to three syringes of Artecoll® (perhaps one or two to start with and maybe another in three or four months) to enhance your lips. A total of two to five syringes is used to moderate smile lines or lines extending down from the mouth corner. The improvement is gradual (allowing you to control the rate and degree of correction) and the cost is spread out over a long period of time. This makes Artecoll® easier on your budget than treatments needing continuous maintenance every three to six months. Artecoll® treatments may be a tax deductible medical expense (similar to dental, orthodontic and cosmetic surgery bills), so save your receipts!
 

After a treatment, the collagen portion of Artecoll® is absorbed over a few weeks leaving the PMMA particles in your tissue. This accounts for the partial loss of correction we see in every patient during the first month after treatment.

The ultra fine particles of PMMA in Artecoll® stimulate your skin to produce its own natural collagen, which is laid down around the PMMA particles during the three to four months after Artecoll® is injected. The long-term correction volume is usually around 50% of the injected volume. This produces the final permanent and natural correction which you desire. While the effect is permanent, it will take a few months before the full effect of a treatment is apparent, and usually several treatments are required to obtain the final result you desire.

It’s important to remember that it takes three or four months for Artecoll® to fully settle in, so you should not judge the results too soon. You need to allow time for your body to produce new collagen to anchor the PMMA microspheres in place.
 

Unlike collagen (which lasts three to six months) or hyaluronic acid (which lasts three to twelve months), the benefits of Artecoll® treatments are potentially permanent. The small implants remain in your tissue forever. Some newer studies indicate modest but visible remodeling of aging skin in areas treated up to five years after the initial treatment!

Artecoll® does not stop the aging process. Your skin will continue to lose tone, volume and sag with time. Your genetic predisposition and the ongoing environmental damage (sun, pollutants, etc.) will lead to new wrinkles and more sagging. You may choose to have these problems treated with additional Artecoll® or Dr. Mosher may recommend other strategies. In some areas (for example, the forehead and upper lip) BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments are often used to reduce unwanted muscle movement and in this way, compliment and prolong the effect of the Artecoll®.

 

Yes. More than one hundred thousand men and women in all age groups around the world have been successfully treated with Artecoll® since 1989. Studies show that more than 90% of treated patients with the earliest versions of Artecoll® were so happy with their results they would be willing to have the treatment again.

There have been no reports of rejection of the PMMA microspheres. The collagen molecules have been specially processed to minimize the risk of allergic reaction and eliminate the risks of transmission of illnesses such as “mad cow disease”.

A skin test can be used to determine if the patient is sensitive or allergic to the collagen or the local anesthetic lidocaine contained in Artecoll®. A tiny amount of the collagen/lidocaine solution is injected on the inside of the arm, near the elbow. There are no PMMA microspheres in the test dose, so there will be no long-lasting changes in the skin where the test dose is injected. If there is no redness, tenderness itching or swelling in the test area two to four weeks weeks after the test dose, we can be confident that there will be no allergic reaction to Artecoll®. Less than one person in a thousand has an allergic reaction to Artecoll®. People who have had no problems with collagen injections in the past do not need to have an Artecoll® skin test.

Rarely, if the injection is made near to the skin surface, the implant may appear as a light or gray-colored area. Occasionally this can also result in lumps or bumps of the skin surface. If this problem persists, the Artecoll® can be removed by excision leaving a small scar much like that required removing a mole.

In less than one case in a thousand there can be excessive production of collagen and connective tissue in the treated area resulting in swelling and redness. If this happens, the involved area can be injected with the anti-inflammatory medication Kenalog™, or may be removed by excision. It is important to understand that this problem happens rarely and is a risk with all other injectable products as well. This has been reported to occur more than one year after the initial injection.

Possible side effects include swelling, redness, slight bruising and moderate discomfort for a few days after injection. Sometimes there can be slight itching at the implantation site lasting for several days.

 

Dr. Mosher is an expert at reducing the discomfort associated with injections of any kind. Topical creams or a local anesthetic injection prior to your treatment reduces the discomfort to very manageable levels even in sensitive patients. Some particularly sensitive or anxious people find it helpful to take a couple of plain Tylenol™tablets about an hour or two before treatment to further minimize discomfort.
 

• People with a positive reaction to the skin test
• People who are allergic to collagen or bovine(beef) products
• People who are genuinely allergic to local anesthetics
• People who have severe collagen disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or dermatomyositis
• People who tend to develop enlarged scars (keloids)
• People who have thin, loose skin in the area to be treated
• People who have unrealistic expectations (as with any treatment, you need to have an accurate understanding of the likely benefits and risks of Artecoll® treatment)
• People who want immediate results
• People who are pregnant (although there is no scientific reason for this)
• People who will not tolerate a visible bruise lasting up to one week (rare)
  
   

Yes. The implant is a permanent one and, therefore, must be used in a very careful manner to avoid early-on long-term problems. As your facial tissue ages and the skin becomes thinner, too much Artecoll® could result in an abnormal fullness or firmness of the treated areas. Dr. Mosher has the knowledge to be able to discuss the tradeoffs of Artecoll® with you carefully and offer you alternative strategies, if necessary.
 

It is good to pamper yourself on treatment day! Try not to be hurried and stressed before you arrive. Having a nourishing breakfast or lunch, and an extra glass of water prior to your treatment will make you more comfortable. Many patients like to take a couple of plain Tylenol™ tablets before treatment (similar to what you might do before having a flu shot) to prevent discomfort. As a practical matter, bruising is seldom a major problem after Artecoll® treatment.

The chance of bruising can be reduced by minimizing your consumption of ASA and anti-inflammatory medications for one week before and reducing alcohol and Vitamin E for at least three days before your treatment.

Please wear no makeup, or makeup that is easy to remove, so that the area to be treated can be clearly seen. You can bring makeup with you, and you may apply your makeup immediately after treatment. We can also help you with our therapeutic and elegant Glo® Minerals makeup.
 

Nearly every patient will have some degree of redness and swelling visible for several hours after treatment. It is also possible to develop some bruising that could be visible for up to one week. Bruising and swelling is increased with activities that increase circulation such as exercise, heat and drinking alcohol, so you will need to avoid these on the day of your treatment. Using a cold pack on the treated area for up to one hour after the treatment is recommended.

In order to allow the implant to stabilize, try to avoid massaging the area or excessive movement of the treated areas for the next few days and in particular during the first twelve hours after your Artecoll® treatment. The implant may feel somewhat firm at first; however, it will soften over time as your body produces its own natural collagen and connective tissue. As time goes on, you may be able to feel the Artecoll® implant under your skin because you know where to find it, but the only thing other people should be aware of is the long-lasting improvement in your appearance.


Ask our very knowledgeable staff about Artecoll® or any of our other wrinkle treatments. Speak to our staff directly or call 604-888-9378 (toll free 1-800-527-7697) to arrange your consultation. Skin tests can be performed on the day of your consultation and treatments can be scheduled within a few short weeks.
 

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