In a recent study, researchers Douglas C. Wu, MD, et al, evaluated the safety and histopathological effects of different laser, light and ultrasound modalities on skin previously injected with a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) filler (Bellafill, Suneva Medical).
Bellafill is a soft tissue dermal filler composed of non-resorbable microspheres, suspended in a water-based carrier gel with 3.5% bovine collagen; it is FDA approved for the correction of nasolabial folds and atrophic facial acne scars.
Following a negative reaction to the bovine collagen skin test, the abdomen of one subject (with planned mini-abdominoplasty) was divided into a grid with 32 treatment sections. Subdermal injections of PMMA-collagen were administeresd to 17 treatment areas (0.1cc to 0.2cc in each area). The subject was assessed for adverse events at each post-treatment office visit. Eighty days post-injection, 30 treatment sections were treated with laser, light or ultrasound therapy. One PMMA-collagen treated area was not exposed to any energy devices, and one remaining treatment area received no treatment of any kind. Sixty days following energy device treatment, the tissue was excised in a planned mini-abdominoplasty procedure and sent for histological examination.
The researchers concluded that laser, light and ultrasound treatment modalities can be safely administered following a PMMA-collagen injection, as no histological changes in PMMA microspheres were observed in any treatment area. An expected lymphohistiocytic response was identified in all areas where PMMA microspheres were present. The subject experienced no adverse events.
The study was published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (November 2016).
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