Autologous Cell Therapy for Facial Wrinkles: Comparison of Autologous Fibroblast Therapy with Dermal Fillers

The document discussed the use of cultured autologous fibroblasts as a novel FDA-cleared cell therapy for treating wrinkles, particularly nasolabial folds. Unlike conventional fillers, these cells were injected more superficially and required months to show improvement, offering the promise of sustained growth of living cells. A pivotal double-blind, randomized trial with 215 participants demonstrated initial hopeful results, with clinical improvement seen as early as 2 months after treatment. The procedure involved obtaining a biopsy, culturing fibroblasts, and injecting them into the treatment area. Side effects were minimal and comparable to existing filler therapies, with no long-term adverse effects noted. The therapy provided gradual improvement after three treatments over several weeks.