ABSTRACT

The search for the ideal facial soft tissue augmentation material continues. While injectable and implantable tissue-derived and synthetic biologic materials are effective, soft, and reliable, the materials have transient and unpredictable half lives in vivo (1,2). Purely synthetic injectable fillers have the capacity to maintain long-term persistence but have a generally higher rate of inducing foreign body response (3,4). In the event of complication, these materials may require wide tissue excision for removal. Solid implantable materials (e.g., silicone) are easily removed, but do not closely match soft tissue features. They are poorly stabilized with high rates of extrusion (5).