Scientific Proof That Fillers Reduce Perceived Age By 7 years

Contact:  Andrew Sarnoff
Phone:  212.794.4000
Email:   [email protected] 

SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT FILLERS REDUCE PERCEIVED AGE BY 7 YEARS
Unprecedented Clinical Study Quantifies Facial Rejuvenation

New York, April 12, 2010 – The results of a new landmark study published in the March 2010 issue of Dermatologic Surgery, the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), confirm that a single, multi-syringe treatment session administering facial fillers yields a quantifiable reduction in apparent age.
  
Over the past several years, the use of injectable products to eliminate wrinkles and restore fullness to the skin has increased exponentially, due to sun damage, heredity and age contributing to frown lines and wrinkles.  Aesthetic physicians use a variety of fillers to diminish wrinkles and return a more youthful appearance by binding water to the skin and replacing lost volume.  Hyaluronic acid fillers are the most commonly used worldwide and have an excellent safety profile.

In this study, ten female patients, aged 42 to 59 with moderate to severe volume loss of the face, received several syringes (6-9 mLs) of injectable hyaluronic acid into the cheeks, tear troughs, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, lips and chin in a single treatment session.  No touch-up or alteration of treatment was allowed within the 4-week study period.

Three board-certified cosmetic dermatologists assessed age at baseline, week 3, and week 4 in photographs.  The median decrease in perceived age at 4 weeks post-treatment was 7.3 years for the clinical investigators.
    
According to lead investigator Amy Forman Taub, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor at Northwestern University Medical School, “this is the first study that provides objective data which quantifies how much a patient can improve with fillers.”

Co-investigator Deborah S. Sarnoff, M.D., Clinical Professor of Dermatology at NYU Medical Center, notes “patients always ask me, how much younger can I look with fillers?”  Sarnoff goes on to say “one patient recently told me that ‘the mother of the bride just got a facelift.  I’m the mother of the groom – I’ve got limited time, limited funds, and looking 7.3 years younger without going under the knife is good enough for me – I’ll take it!’”

Other key findings of the study include:

– Post-treatment, the patients always perceived an even higher median change in age than the clinical investigators.  For example, the median change in perceived age of the patient at 2 weeks was 6.1 years for the investigators and 9 years for the patients.

– Similarly, while the investigators perceived a median change in age of 7.3 years 4 weeks post-treatment, the median change as perceived by the patients at 4 weeks was 7.8.

This study confirms that multisyringe injections of hyaluronic acid filler into the aging face in a single treatment session can result in a statistically significant decrease in perceived age.
Fillers, with or without concurrent Botox® or laser resurfacing, can rejuvenate the face quickly, safely, and cost-effectively, without surgery.  

Patient photos and interviews with the study investigators are available upon request.

About this Study
The Effect of Multisyringe Hyaluronic Acid Facial Rejuvenation on Perceived Age was published in Dermatologic Surgery (Dermatol Surg 2010; 36: 322-328).  In the study, three blinded board-certified cosmetic dermatologists rated 36 images taken by the VISIA CR system – all of the images were of the lower two-thirds of the face (the upper third was not treated) and included a standardized frontal view and two side views at 45° angles.  

The images were scrambled such that there was no indication of which photos were before and after.  Each clinical investigator was instructed to look at each image and spend no more than 30 seconds rating the subject’s age.  They were also instructed not to compare photos or change any age rating after 30 seconds.  Analysis of the data revealed that multisyringe injection of hyaluronic acid filler into the aging face results in a reduction of apparent age of 6.1 to 9 years younger after 2 to 4 weeks.

About Dr. Sarnoff
With offices in Manhattan and Long Island, board-certified dermatologist, Deborah S. Sarnoff, M.D., is one of the country’s preeminent specialists in cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery and Mohs surgery for the treatment of skin cancer.  As a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at New York University Medical Center, Dr. Sarnoff is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents.  Dr. Sarnoff is also senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, a national non-profit organization that provides physicians and the public with effective educational tools on skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment.  

Frequently quoted as an expert by the media, Dr. Sarnoff has demonstrated her procedures on “The View,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “20/20,” “Dateline,” “Extra” and “The Doctors” TV show.  She is also the co-author of Beauty and the Beam: Your Complete Guide to Cosmetic Laser Surgery andInstant Beauty: Getting Gorgeous On Your Lunch Break.

About Dr. Taub
Dr. Amy Forman Taub is a board-certified dermatologist who founded Advanced Dermatology, Skinfo® Specialty Skincare Boutique and SKINQRI in Lincolnshire, Illinois.  Advanced Dermatology is a state-of-the-art medical and cosmetic dermatology practice nationally recognized for excellence in dermatologic care.  Skinfo and skinfo.com, a professional skincare website, offer physician-dispensed and cosmeceutical-grade skincare products and product information to the public.

SKINQRI, Advanced Research in Dermatology, collaborates with pharmaceutical and laser companies to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments and evaluate new protocols for current treatments.  Currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at Northwestern University Medical School, Dr. Taub educates and trains physicians from all over the country to provide cosmetic and laser procedures.  Dr. Taub has authored numerous research publications and has been featured in several national magazines including, Health, Self, New Beauty and Allure.