We're surrounded by images of people with flawless skin--not a pore, line, wrinkle, or scar in sight. Professional makeup, flattering lighting effects, and airbrushing techniques make it easy to look good in magazines, on television, and in the movies. It's harder to look good in real life... but not as hard as you think.

Facial lines and wrinkles are caused by the wearing down of the natural collagen support layer that lies just beneath your skin. Creams can moisturize or exfoliate the surface of your skin, but they can't diminish the lines or wrinkles that are caused by the wearing away of the underlying collage support layer. Collagen Replacement Therapy (CRT) is a safe, nonsurgical treatment that smoothes out facial lines, wrinkles, and scars by replenishing the natural collagen support layer beneath your skin. These results may be seen immediately.

What is Collagen?
Skin is your body's largest, and most visible, organ. Your skin is composed of two layers.

• The uppermost layer of skin, called the epidermis acts as a protective barrier. The epidermis controls the loss of water from cells and tissues, and without it your body would quickly dehydrate.
• Just beneath the epidermis is the second layer of skin, called the dermis. This layer is composed of primarily of a protein call collagen. Collagen forms a network of fibers that provides a frame-work for the growth of cells and blood vessels. As the primary component of the dermis, collagen acts as the support structure for your skin.

Why Do Lines Appear?
When your skin is young, the collagen framework is intact, keeping your skin moisturized and elastic. Young skin is resilient--the facial lines that appear when you smile or frown simply disappear when you stop smiling or frowning. Over time, the collagen framework weakens and your skin loses it elasticity. Older skin is less resilient, so the facial lines that appear with a smile or frown don't disappear when you stop smiling or frowning.

Are Creams Containing Collagen Enough?
Creams (with or without collage) may temporarily diminish the harshness of facial lines or wrinkles, but they only work on the surface (the epidermis) or your skin. Creams can't penetrate the skin to remedy the underlying cause of lines or wrinkles--the depleted collagen support layer. Creams can, however, help to keep your skin supple by slowing the rate of water loss from the surface of your skin.

How Does Collagen Replacement Therapy Work?
Collagen Replacement Therapy (CRT) replenishes the skin's natural collagen support layer, smoothing facial lines and most types of scars. CRT is a non-surgical treatment in which Zyderm and/or Zyplast Collagen Implants (natural substances derived from purified bovine [cow] collagen) are injected just beneath the skin's surface, where the body commonly accepts them as its own. CRT produces an immediately visible difference in the appearance of your skin.

How Was Collagen Replacement Therapy Developed?
The medical use of collagen began decades ago when animal collagen was used in surgical sutures. Continues research led to the wide use of collagen in a number of applications, including heart valves and as an agent to help stop bleeding during surgery. A group of biochemists and physicians at Stanford University pioneered the concept of purifying animal collagen so it could be used to replace lost skin tissue.

Research by Collagen Corporation led to the development of Zyderm and Zyplast Collagen Implants. More than 1 million people worldwide have received CRT. Most people experience success with their collagen treatments. Some patients, however, have reported adverse events; these are described in the safety summary at the end of this page.

What Can I Expect With Collagen Replacement Therapy?
Collagen Replacement Therapy is a proven, nonsurgical treatment simple enough to be completed during your lunch hour. It's important to discuss your treatment expectations with your physician. Together, you can review your medical history, the risks and benefits of treatment, and the specific areas you want treated. CRT may not be appropriate for certain lines and scars, or in the presence of certain medial conditions. For most people, however, CRT is a safe, convenient, and immediate, way to treat lines and wrinkles.

How Do I Achieve Full Correction?
It's important to understand that treatment with collagen is highly individual. The same amount of collagen that would give one person full correction may result in inadequate or partial correction for another person. The amount of collagen required for full correction will depend on your age, skin condition, and amount of sun damage. Because of these same factors, the amount of collagen and timing of maintenance treatments vary according to the individual. Your physician will recommend a treatment program that meets your individual needs and optimizes the outcome of your therapy.

How Do I Get Started?
Start by asking your physician about a skin test. It's a simple test performed on your forearm to determine if you are sensitive to Zyderm or Zyplast Collagen Implants. You must watch the area very carefully over a four-week period. Approximately 97% of women and men tested show no reaction to the skin test and are eligible for treatment. If you do not have an adverse reaction to the skin test, you can get started with your Collagen Replacement Therapy.