A new method of treating your skin, called “temple filler treatment“, is being developed by a team at the University of Warwick working with scientists from Imperial College London (ICL). The project is published in The Journal of Clinical and Molecular Biology.
The study was led by ICOL researchers Dr John McIver and Professor Paul Williams, in collaboration with experts from Exeter NHS Trust – who have pioneered pioneering treatments for facial wrinkles using advanced nanoscience techniques.
This includes their previous work on creating silicone hydrogel particles for use as filling agents to improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines, creases, age spots, and other signs of age. During the development process, the Exeter team used this technique for their own research, studying how these microparticles functioned on cells and cells in culture.
By measuring what they could do, they found an optimal ratio of particle/cell, which gave them a higher number of binding sites in comparison to other methods, such as collagen or fibrillin, and worked to develop a suitable formulation of silicon nanoparticles that would be appropriate for both animal and human experiments.
As part of the study,
the Exeter scientists added a second ingredient to the mixing together – something they call hyaluronic acid-based hyaloid fillers, which are commonly used in products aimed at improving skin elasticity. Hyaluronic acid has been approved by UK regulators as a non-medical product (as you can find it in food packets), but remains unregulated for cosmetic reasons, making it difficult to justify its marketing.
This means the team needed to investigate whether there were any medical applications for the use of hyaluronic acid, rather than just a cosmetic ones. There are currently no approved formulations of hyaluronic acid available, so they had to resort to trial-and-error efforts to achieve something effective enough to show clinically.
They tested the hyaluronic acid formulations against each of several types of fillers to see how well each made a difference to the results, and ultimately settled on three different products used in clinics and hospitals around the world today:
VisceralEyes Hydrogels;
SkinXR; SK-A-Dry® (pronounced shave-a-dry) In the first phase of the investigation, they filled approximately 10 patients’ faces with a mix of materials containing either hyaluronic acid filler, collagen, or bovine serum albumin, and measured the level of hyaluronic acid used and the effect this had on the subjects’ skin.
They found that the hyaluronic acid-based hyaloid Fillers had the highest levels of hyaloid filler used and the most significant effects in tightening skin tone. All three products showed improvements in skin elasticity and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles within a few months. They also saw decreases in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that appeared due to pregnancy in women over 50 years old.
Overall, patients reported improvements in quality of life due to fewer fine lines and wrinkles and better skin tone and flexibility. They will now continue testing the hyaluronic acid-based hyaloidfillers further, looking to prove they’re equally effective for treating all facial wrinkles. As a final result of the study, two more hyaluronic acid-based hyaloid filler formulations are under evaluation, and once they receive clinical approval, the scientists will make them available free of charge in clinic trials.
Professor Paul Williams commented: “I’m delighted with the significant improvement to patients’ skin texture and hydration shown during our studies. It’s clear we need additional formulation options to best meet the needs of those with uneven skin tones, especially those people who have concerns about fine lines and wrinkles.
We hope this study helps practitioners better understand how hyaluronic acid can be used effectively for individuals needing them.
“Professor Paul Williams says: “
We’ve demonstrated that hyaluronic acid-based hyaloid fillers may be appropriate candidates for clinical use for the correction of certain forms of fine lines, wrinkles and skin ageing, and are of particular interest for patients with hypertrophy of connective tissue, such as scar face, where hydration would be particularly important for maintaining normal tissue and reducing symptoms of reduced blood flow. I look forward to seeing how this new formulation can be applied to the wider population.”
