Last week the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA Box) gave approval to Suneva, the makers of Bellafill (also known as Artefill), for the use of Bellafill for acne scars. This means that Suneva can market Bellafill for Acne scar treatment and that the use of Bellafill for treating acne scars is “on label”.
It also means that Bellafill is the only filler on the US market approved for the correction of moderate to severe, atrophic, distensible facial acne scars on the cheek in patients older than 21.
Bellafill is the new name for Artefill.
Acne scarring can cause a tremendous loss of self-esteem but Artefill or Bellafill provides an effective and long lasting treatment option for patients with acne scars that are correctable with filler. The pivotal study that was submitted to the FDA shows high patient satisfaction with the results and an excellent safety profile.
Lasting Results
Bellafill has been shown to last at least 5 years and the non-absorbable PMMA beads that act as a bio-stimulant are not absorbable so Bellafill will likely last a lot longer than 5 years (the informal studies are now out 20 years).
How Bellafill Works
The collagen gel in Bellafill provides immediate volume and lift at the time of treatment. Over the ensuing 3 to 6 months the collagen is absorbed by the body, but the polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres (PMMA) remain in place and act as a bio-stimulant so that you replace the collagen with your own collagen and tissue.
What It Replaces
In the past, acne scars have been treated with excision, subcision, short term fillers, lasers, chemical peels and micro-needling. While these treatments may all be needed to get the best results, often the best approach is to use a couple of these treatments in combination to get the best results.
