Can You Inject Instant Youth With a Syringe?

Sept. 30, 2003 -- Jennifer Getz, a 40-something woman who runs a jewelry business had always wanted to get cosmetic surgery to look younger — but between her work, and the demands of raising two children, she just didn't have the time.

The recovery period for traditional cosmetic surgery is several weeks long.

"It would be several weeks leaving my life as I know it," Getz said.

So Getz penciled in a visit to Dr. Fredric Brandt, a Miami and New York-based cosmetic dermatologist who is known as the pioneer of the "neck-lift" and the largest user of injectable collagen and Botox in the world.

In same-day, single-visit treatments, he uses collagen and Botox to fill in the wrinkles and hollows of aging faces, making patients' faces look fuller and more youthful for several months.

Getz shared her own results with Good Morning America today. It's been three days since she met with Brandt and she says that she is loving the results.

Change Visible Right Away

Brandt, who is also the author of a book titled Age-Less, said he simply reverses various signs of aging. As people get older, they struggle with a variety of aging skin issues, including what is called "marionette lines." The center of the chin loses fat, lower lips sag, upper lips hang and the corners of their mouth sag down. Because of sagging skin, people's noses even become longer, he said.

But there are ways to reverse all of that sagging.

"A Botox lift is an easy procedure. You see a change right away," Brandt said.

Botox injections are typically given in the forehead, between the eyebrows and at the outside edges of the eyes to reduce frown lines and crow's-feet. It helps reduce wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing muscles.

The Botox nose-lifts cost about $300, but the changes are not permanent. Patients have to return every four to five months or so, to retain the effects, Brandt said. He also plumped up Getz's earlobes using human collagen, or CosmoDerm, which lasts anywhere from three to six months. Without ongoing treatments, the natural collagen is gradually absorbed by the body and your face returns to its original contours.

Brandt gave Getz a Botox neck-lift and a Botox brow-lift, in which he injected Botox to smooth away wrinkles from those areas. He also did a "filler face-lift," in which he used filler to plump up Getz's face, elevating her cheeks, lip and mouth area for a more youthful look. These procedures can cost a total of $3,000 to $4,000.

Human Collagen Now Approved as Filler

Brandt's procedures involve the use of human and bovine collagen as filler material. Bovine collagen, which has been used in cosmetic surgery for more than 20 years, comes in two forms, Zyderm and Zyplast. Patients need allergy testing before using them to make sure that they are not allergic.

To eliminate the need for allergy testing, CosmoDerm and CosmoPlast were developed, and in March 2003, they became the first FDA-approved type of human collagen that is grown in a laboratory. No allergy testing is needed and patients can come in on their first visit to be treated.

Two more popular types of fillers that may soon be approved by the FDA and available in the next few months are Restylane, and Hyalaform B.

Gay Cannizzino, 50, also visited Brandt to have similar procedures done on Friday. She has been a flight attendant for 20 years and says the on-the-go lifestyle has contributed to the aging of her face. She wanted to smooth out lines and wrinkles for a more youthful look, and simply to feel better about herself.

A Subtle Change

"At this point in my life, it was a more natural look than surgery would have been, and no trauma to my body," Cannizzino said. "It's a more subtle change."

She enjoyed seeing immediate results, and knowing there was no recovery period.

Brandt said that Cannizzino had a very common problem.

"The loss of collagen under her eyes and cheek makes you older looking and tired," he said.

He restored volume into that area by injecting the areas with bovine collagen, which helped erase the dark circles under her eyes and smooth out the "dynamic lines" on her face.

The price for her procedures was roughly $2,000, and Cannizzino says that she'll be back when the effects wear off.

"I know I can go back and he can re-do the lines," Cannizzino said.

Brandt also worked on the mother of a 16-year-old in real time during Good Morning America.

Alba Zylberman, a Miami real estate agent, got a botox neck-lift and a brow-lift during the show. Brandt also did a "filler face-lift" on Zylberman. He elevated her cheeks, lip and mouth area for a more youthful look.

Brandt says Zylberman's results will improve over the next three to five days.

Zylberman said she noticed the difference immediately.