Recent advances in bio-technology have produced some interesting scientific innovations that may offer applications in cosmetic medicine.
Novabel injectable filler
One of the most exciting innovations is a unique new injectable filler product by Merz that was launched in Europe earlier this year called Novabel.
Unlike any other injectable filler product on the market today, Novabel is made from brown marine algae, a substance that purportedly makes injections smooth, easy to administer and virtually pain-free.
Novabel is composed of spherical, flexible structures called Geleons, and it is this patented Geleon technology that is supposed to make Novabel ideal for filling areas of thin facial skin, such as the lower eyelids and tear troughs.
Novabel’s Geleon technology is also supposed to cause less swelling than other injectable dermal fillers.
Endoform Dermal Template
Mesynthes, an award-winning medical research and development company based in New Zealand, recently announced the release of Endoform Dermal Template, a tissue substitute recently FDA-approved for wound care and skin reconstruction.
This new skin substitute finally offers an alternative to skin grafts, which require skin tissue to be surgically removed from one body area to graft onto another.
Unlike skin grafts, Endoform Dermal Template is not composed of donor skin but rather of extracellular matrix material, which provides a unique mix of biological macromolecules that actively promote the skin regrowth via cell regeneration and blood vessel formation.
“Fly tape” for surgical incision closure
Caddisfly larvae offer a new twist on “fly tape,” as silk spun by these insects is currently being researched by scientists at the University of Utah to eventually develop a stronger surgical tape.
This fly-inspired surgical tape would be engineered to create a sort of “wet BandAid” that closes incisions similarly to surgical sutures but offers dramatically increased adhesive bond strength that would potentially lower incidence of suture failure in patients who have had a tummy tuck or other cosmetic surgery procedure.
Owensboro cosmetic surgeon Dr. Gerald Edds stays up-to-date on the latest surgical technology and research in cosmetic medicine so that he can offer his patients the most effective cutting-edge procedures to achieve the best aesthetic results.
