Have you ever heard about lip fillers? Lip enhancement has become extremely popular among the women. And one of the most popular substance used for lip augmentation is hyaluronic acid. Recently, a new innovative technique has been introduced into the field of aesthetic medicine: penile enhancement with fillers [mainly, hyaluronic acid based fillers - yes, the same ones, which have been widely used for lip enhancement].
It is no exaggeration to say that golden age for the injectables started with an introduction of hyaluronic acid based soft tissues fillers. These have led to a boom in popularity of aesthetic medicine.
According to the 2013 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery statistics, hyaluronic acid based fillers were the most commonly used soft tissue filler in United States.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring hygroscopic poly-saccharide in the body, composed of repeating disaccharides units of N-acetylglucosamine and D-glucuronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid based fillers do not possess species or tissue specificity, as hyaluronic acid is presented in human skin and all living organisms. Therefore, immune reactions are extremely rare and allergy test is not needed prior the hyalurinic acid injection.
Hyaluronic acid in natural form lasts only 1-2 days. Cross-linking process is used to stabilize hyaluronic acid, leading to an increased longevity and being a real game changer. The amount of molecular cross-linking differ between the various hyaluronic acid based products, defining their specific longevity. Generally speaking, the more cross-linking causes more increased longevity. Recently developed hyaluronic acid fillers, including JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC (which is the one that has been widely used for an off-label penile enhancement), have shown long-lasting efficacy of up to 18 months.
Following hyaluronic acid injection, the filler is gradually absorbed and disappears by the surrounding tissue over the period of 18 months. However, during degradation, as hyaluronic acid molecules bind more water, the same volume can be maintained with less hyaluronic acid being presented (called isovolemic degradation). Thus, visual effect lasts slightly longer. Theoretically, more than 95 % of its initial volume is maintained until Hyaluronic acid is completely absorbed bt the tissues.
The article was prepared using:
- Kim JE, Sykes, JM. Hyaluronic acid fillers: history and overview. Facial Plast Surg. 2011;27:523-8.
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- Penile Augmentation. Park NC, Kim SW, Moon DG. 2016.