New, possibly improved fillers?

At the Toronto meeting, we heard about two new hyaluronic gel fillers that are edging ever closer to FDA approval. These are called “Belotero” and “Prevelle Lift”.
Like Juvederm and Restylane, they are made from the same basic molecule, the ever-popular hyaluronic acid gel. These new formulations, however, are manufactured differently, with the result being that the properties of the final injectable gel are significantly different.
If you were to look at filler gels under a microscope, most HA’s to date have a fluid portion and a separate, more granular component. They are called “bi-phasic” because of this. Belotero, on the other hand, has a smoother, more even consistency, and is called “monophasic”. Clinically speaking, which is what matters, people who have used Belotero feel that it also looks and feels smoother when injected, and is allegedly less prone to lumpiness. Belotero has been available in the UK since 2007, and has a good track record there. Reportedly, it lasts between 6 to 9 months, but, as always, take these claims with a grain of salt.
Prevelle Lift, also known as Prevelle DGE, is designed to fill out and physically lift the skin more than its thinner cousins. It’s targeted at the treatment of deep lines and wrinkles, and at applications that require more 3-D shaping. The Prevelle product also contains lidocaine, making injections less painful.
Hopefully, these two products will receive their FDA clearance within the year, and be available for use in the United States. Both look quite promising and useful for our patients…but time will tell.
And of course, we’ll really need to see some head-to-head comparisons with the established fillers to know where the newcomers will end up. To paraphrase the Iron Chef TV show, “Which filler will reign supreme?” – too early to say.