Wow, that's an interesting question. While there is no doubt that UVA contributes to lipid peroxidation products in the skin, it hasn't been cited as causal in lipoatrophy. It probably is a contributor in people who have connective tissue disorders such as lupus but I don't know if it would be definitely in normals, although I would not rule it out entirely.

So much of what we think of normal aging is really photoaging. How much, I am not exactly sure, but some studies have suggested up to 90%.

But it's important to note what people who don't gain weight as they age look like. Since we are living in an obese society, "white" people of normal or slight underweight tend to look very drawn and haggard when they pass 40. I've posted links below of two former Playboy Playmates who are Haworth patients.

Patty Farinelli
http://www.drhaworth.com/face.php?action=viewproc&procedureclean=Endoscopic_Browlift&procid=12&page=11

Debra Jo Fondren
http://www.drhaworth.com/face.php?action=viewproc&procedureclean=Endoscopic_Browlift&procid=12&page=10

I wouldn't attribute much of the hollows to UVA, but maybe a little bit.

Regarding injection after Bio Alcamid, I'd suggest you consult with a world-class expert on dermal fillers. If you PM me I can send you my filler complications papers and you can write to the researchers and ask their opinions. My gut reaction is to remove as much of the Bio Alcamid as possible and use your own fat only as future filler under absolutely scrupulous clean room conditions. But I will defer to those who know better.

I just received my newsletter from a dermatologist that does a lot of filler & botox. Why would he not want to use Radiesse? His statement doesn't really point out what sound like a real problem as redness doesn't seem to scary. Anybody know why Radiesse would be more of a 'problem' than the other fillers?
While I am not in favor of Radiance/Radiesse in general, one of the strong points of this product is that it does tend to last. That's also its weakness as it can cause problems (as in the patient I saw today who had a red area where an esthetician had injected it!) and those problems can last for years!

Juvederm and Restylane, when injected properly, should last 6 months or more.

That's exactly what surgeons in the UK told me, kosmeds. NO other filler bar fat, no matter how small the traces of Bio left.

Dee - if you find someone who uses the Coleman technique the fat should take.

Well I had the FAMI technique once before (supposedly better than Coleman) but that was in Spain. Do you know any good docs in the UK for Coleman fat grafting?

---

Plus we lose weight from the top down.

Guess that makes sense. At 5ft2 I went from 120lb to 110lb and I've dropped 2 dress sizes!

---

Well anything that plumps up my face without complications and too much $$$ will make me very happy. I like the idea that over time you develop some permanent volume even if it is scar/calcified tissue...as long as it's not overly lumpy or hard.



WOW, guess that confirms it then! You can see the left side looks much more deflated than the right. But I wonder what the exact mechanism of fat loss is...whether it's due to uva damage direct to the fat cells or because the damaged dermis can no longer support the underlying fat so it wastes away.

---

Well yeah, you gotta expect some fat loss with ageing regardless of lifestyle. But if you start out with a good full face then it won't look so bad when you are older.

---

I think aging has more to do with fat loss, but So I'm gonna say yes on the sun giving at least the appearance of fat loss over time.

Mostly stayed out of the sun in my life as I was always sensitive to heat & am one of those weird people who doesn't like the feel of direct sun on her bare skin. As a teen I was diagnosed with an unrelated Cancer & the doctor gave me a much longer dosage of radiation than people usually get -over 30 sessions in the area on my thigh where the cancer was. After it healed a few months later, I was left with a permanent tan in the treated area that was about 6 shades darker than the rest of my skin and it became wrinkly and leathery, lax skin that was no longer elastic. It was as if the treated area had aged 60 years while the rest of me stayed in the present. I was a teen so seeing dry, leathery wrinkles on a part of my body was weird. It also had the appearance of losing fat as well, but that could be because the skin laxity gives the illusion of fat loss; after all the skin there actually feels thinner to the touch compared to the other thigh. It stayed like that permanently, but unless I wear a bathing suit people don't see the area anyway so I usually forget about it completely. Whether it's illusion or real, there is definitely the appearance of fat loss. I think high beam radiation does in a few weeks what decades of intense sun exposure does to skin. But the atmosphere protects us from most of the sun's strong rays making the effect from the sun much more gradual & less dramatic. Isn't the effects of intense radiation therapy a good test in determining the affects of the sun?

It is more popular in Asia now. Here in India it is done. And in Thailand I saw every doc offering Aquamid. I had a consult and the assistand had it in her forehead. Looked good. At least I could not make out that she had anything done.

It seems to be ok but then you cannot really remove it, once you have it.