Survey of future injectables

There has been an explosion in the technology of injectable filler materials for soft tissue augmentation of the face in the past decade. As a result, this is an exciting field and has provided surgeons who treat the aging face with newer, minimally invasive tools and techniques to augment the soft tissues of the face. In general, there are four classes of materials available for soft-tissue augmentation: synthetic, xenogeneic, homogeneic, and autogeneic. Moreover, within each class, these materials can be further divided, according to their longevity, into permanent materials, materials that last an undefined prolonged time, and temporary fillers. These products allow the surgeon and the patient to make choices that will give the best cosmetic results.