Dr. Bob What info. can you give me about PMMA which is a filler done by Dr. Marcio Serra in Rio de Janeiro, Pros and Cons.

Thanks Gary

Hi Gary,

PMMA is polymethyl-methacrylate and has trade names including Articol, Artefill and Metacrill. The product is not approved for lipoatrophy in the United States; therefore I have not personal experience with it. Here's the way it's designed to work: PMMA is surrounded by synthetic or bovine collagen. Approximately three months after an injection the collagen is broken down, stimulating the body to produce its own natural collagen, which fills in the space under the skin. The PMMA does not break down.

Until more data and experience are available, I cannot personally recommend this product. Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) and Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) are FDA approved for the treatment of facial lipoatrophy in the U.S. So far I've seen the best results with Sculptra. And it has an excellent safety profile. You can learn more about lipoatrophy and facial filers by visiting The Body's Lipoatrophy Resource Center, which can be easily accessed on The Body's homepage under "Quick Links."

Good luck.

Dr. Bob