What are dermal fillers? Dermal fillers or body fillers are the cosmetic treatments given through injections. They are usually given in specialized clinics and minimally invasive, meaning they do not involve surgery. Dermal fillers are the chemical substances intended to be injected beneath the surface of the skin to add volume and fullness. They contain ingredients that add fullness to areas that have thinned due to aging. This thinning is common in the cheeks, lips, and around the mouth. Some of the substances used in dermal fillers include Calcium hydroxylapatite, Hyaluronic acid (HA), Polyalkylimide, Polylactic acid, Polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres (PMMA). Each one of these has different indications and for different cosmetic issues. Choosing appropriate substance appropriate to the individual need. What is Eikonha? Eikonha is a dermal filler designed for reshaping of body. It is composed of unique purified, viscous, stabilized, cross-linked, transparent and non-animal origin sodium HA gel. Naturally, the middle layer of skin is composed of HA and its main function is to keep the skin hydrated, full, and elastic. With aging, skin cells lose its ability to produce HA and several changes occur to the dermal tissues either causing atrophy (decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue) or hypertrophy (increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells). HA helps in replenishing the skin cells and rejuvenate the same. What is cross-linked hyaluronic acid? Naturally occurring HA has some unique properties which limits the use as filler because it is not itself able to lift tissues. This is because of the short life span in the skin, rapid degradation, and poor elastic properties of HA. Chemical modification and cross-linking of HA overcome these limitations by modifying the structure of HA chains. The cross-link is a process that allows lined HA molecules to be linked together, to obtain new structures consisting of several HA filaments with a higher molecular weight. This process extends the holding properties of HA and decreases its exposure to enzymatic degradation, which ultimately reduces the number of times it needs to be re-used. What are the benefits of cross-linked hyaluronic acid? The following are the benefits of cross-linked HA: • It provides stable mechanical and chemical substance • It delivers the substance with prolonged residence time • Enhanced viscoelastic properties of gel • Exhibit good tissue integration and cohesiveness • Easy to inject and compatible to skin tissues. How hyaluronic acid body fillers are beneficial for healthcare professionals? • HA is widely used by health care professionals: plastic surgeons, primary care clinicians, dermatologists, and internists, to enhance aesthetic look • It is issued only on prescription of a licensed health care provider. • It benefits the healthcare professionals and patients because of its low allergic reactions, ease of injection, rapid recovery, and immediate results. Eikonha is well-tolerated with high satisfaction of patients and surgeons because of its benefits (striking volume restoration or augmentation with long-term results). It has no/less side-effects and can be used for the following indications: • Trauma/Surgical scars • Buttock Volume • Aesthetic Gynecology • Male Chest Shaping • Body Depressions • Calves Shaping/Augmentation In conclusion, Eikonha offers a better balance between efficacy and safety for good aesthetic results. References 1. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/aesthetic-cosmetic-devices/dermal-fillers-soft-tissue-fillers. 2. Available from: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/dermal-fillers/types. 3. Baumann LS, Shamban AT, Lupo MP, et al. Comparison of smooth-gel hyaluronic acid dermal fillers with cross-linked bovine collagen: a multicenter, double-masked, randomized, within-subject study. Dermatol Surg. 2007 Dec;33 Suppl 2:S128-135. 4. Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):253-258. 5. Faivre J, Pigweh AI, Iehl J, Maffert P, Goekjian P, Bourdon F. Crosslinking hyaluronic acid soft-tissue fillers: current status and perspectives from an industrial point of view. Expert Rev Med Devices. 2021 Dec;18(12):1175-1187. 6. Walker K, Basehore BM, Goyal A, et al. Hyaluronic Acid. [Updated 2021 Nov 15]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482440/.