Health: SCALPEL news.

Wrinkle Relief

The safety and effectiveness of Botox have made the muscle-numbing, wrinkle-smoothing shots the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. Last year, doctors administered 2.8 million treatments -- many of them repeats because the effect lasts only three or four months. Within the next few years, a new, longer-lasting version could be available. Like Botox (which is manufactured by Allergan), the new substance, made by Mentor Corporation, is a dilute form of botulinum toxin. But manufacturing and purification techniques as well as individual metabolization of the product affect longevity, a Mentor spokesman says. The new version, tentatively referred to as Puretox, is anticipated to last up to six months or longer, although this can't be confirmed until planned clinical trials are completed sometime next year. The trials may also indicate whether it reduces the risk of an immune response, experienced by some Botox patients, that lessens its effectiveness over time. For now, a company spokesman would only say, "We're hoping that the higher degree of purity will lead to a better therapeutic effect."

Comparing Fillers

Now that Restylane and Hylaform are FDA-approved as wrinkle fillers, more doctors are offering them, and patients are wondering how they compare. There are no studies directly comparing the two hyaluronic-acid fillers, but in a trial comparing each of them to Zyplast collagen, Hylaform caused less pain, swelling, and bruising than Restylane. Hylaform is claimed to last up to six months, and ...