Collagen Information

How is the treatment administered?

Depending on the area to be treated, a number of injections will be required, followed by a period of massage to the treated area. Zyderm and Zyplast both contain a low concentration of Lidnocaine local anaesthetic, so this will reduce any discomfort to a minimum. However, with lip enhancement treatments, additional local anaesthetic may be required initially.

Are there any special precautions?

 Before treatment with Zyderm or Zyplast, in all cases, a test dose of collagen must be administered to the forearm and evaluated. This is done four weeks prior to treatment. Some 3% of patients have a pre-existing allergy to purified bovine collagen, and these will develop swelling, redness and itching. Any reaction to the test dose is an absolute contraindication to treatment. You should also not consider treatment if you are pregnant or breast feeding, if you have a history of severe allergies or anaphylaxis, if you are known to have an allergy to collagen products or local anaesthetics, or you are planning to undergo desensitization to meat products, as these injections contain bovine collagen. Zyderm and Zyplast should not be used near areas of skin affected by dermatitis or infection, and treatment should not be used in conjunction with laser or chemical peel treatments.

Are there any risks?

Animal collagen has been used in human medicine for over one hundred years, for instance, in sutures and heart valves. Over one million treatments have been given worldwide. However, as with any medical treatment there are potential side effects, and although very uncommon, you should be aware of these before you give consent. As with any injection treatment, there is always a risk of infection and bleeding or bruising. Bleeding and bruising are a special risk if you are taking Aspirin, anticoagulants such as Warfarin, or if you have any medical disorder which increases the risk of bleeding. Infection is reported to occur in less than 1 in 1000 treatments and is much more likely if you are taking steroids, or on chemotherapy, or if you have any disorder which causes immunosuppression. Some one or two per cent of patients who have not shown a reaction to the skin test, may still suffer some form of allergic reaction, such as redness, swelling, itching. These may last an average of four months, but have rarely been known to last up to nine months. Very rarely, an allergic reaction may progress to a cystic reaction and a formation of sterile abscesses requiring surgical treatment. Very rarely, systemic effects, (any response which involves symptoms at a non-injection site) such as ‘flu-like’ illnesses, severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylaxis, joint pains and auto-immune medicated illnesses have occurred. These reactions occur in less than 0.5% of patients. Injection into a blood vessel may cause breakdown and ulceration of the skin, but this is most likely in the mid area of the forehead. This has most often been reported with Zyplast and so this is not recommended in this area.

Occasionally, herpes infections have developed at the injection sites, usually with clients that already suffer from the cold sore virus. A temporary palpable lumpiness may be noted in some patients.

Alternative treatments

There are alternative treatments to collagen, and these include: hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane and Perlane, botulinum toxin, chemical peels, laser treatments, surgical treatments, or indeed, no treatment at all. Are there any risks with anaesthetic treatment? Local anaesthetic treatment is very safe, and any side effects are generally mild and self-limiting, such as bruising or slight swelling and inflammation. However, as with many treatments usually associated with large doses, side effects may rarely be serious, and can include low blood pressure, a very slow pulse, nervousness and agitation, drowsiness, confusion and fits.

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