In today's celebrity culture, where looks are becoming more and more central to a person’s confidence, the desire to fit into a set mould is ever increasing. But how far will the beauty and medical industries go to fulfil the demands of such an image conscious public?  Sinem Ayman highlights how fears have been raised about the origins of collagen for implants.

In the constant pursuit of ‘forever youth’ collagen injections have become the UK’s treatment of choice, second only to botox.

Collagen itself is a compound found in abundance in skin, bone and muscles and serves as scaffolding to strengthen and support these organs. In the beauty industry it is used to smooth out wrinkles and bolster lips but unfortunately treatments have to be repeated as the effects are not permanent.

The collagen used in the UK is originally sourced from cows, pig and human skin and these samples are grown for up to ten years in laboratory conditions. In all cases the collagen is highly purified and sterilised before being converted into an injectable form ready for use in humans.

Collagen crime

Last year however, The Guardian newspaper uncovered that collagen in some UK clinics had been sourced from a Chinese firm which has been extracting collagen direct from the skin of executed Chinese prisoners. Shockingly, according to reports from agents at the company this practice is quite ‘normal’.

Bar the ethical concerns of this collagen, there are also major health risks to consider. Transmission of disease especially blood-borne viruses, such as hepatitis and vCJD, are possible - although there are no records of this happening. An inquiry by the Department of Health has reported cases of acute allergic reactions to contaminated collagen injections causing scarring and disfigurement.

Regulation

As collagen products are not strictly classed as either medicines or cosmetics they bypass any current regulations. This anomaly is being reviewed at present by the European Commission but any legislation is several years away. 

Mr Douglas McGeorge, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) emphasised the importance of consumer awareness:

“Stories like these only reinforce the advice given by BAAPS that patients should always see reputable surgeons who have a proper training in aesthetic procedures and who are properly qualified to give good and appropriate advice,” he said.

“The hope is that the forthcoming changes in the regulations will eliminate the fringe clinics offering poor advice and questionable treatments with inferior products.”

They also hope that patients will be more proactive in questioning where and how the constituents used in their procedures have been obtained.

www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/sep/13/medicineandhealth.china

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