Nithya - a collagen boosting injectable from horse tendons - the next big thing?

Nithya, an injectable derived from horse tendons, is being used in the UK in leiu of Botox for wrinkle reduction.

Nithya is a Hindi girls name meaning "always" or "eternally". It's bening touted as a year-long replacement for Botox with a different, and better, treatment mechanism.

There's an article from the UK discussing Nithya as Botox replacement. Link

Described as a 'truly unique form of pain-free anti-ageing treatment', Nithya, which is offered at Vida Aesthetics, is the first skin rejuvenation injectable made from equine-sourced protein available in the UK...

According to the clinic, results are long-lasting, and unlike wrinkle reduction treatments like Botox, which paralyse the muscles and dermal fillers, Nithya apparently works 'in harmony' with your natural tissue structure. The clinic say it lasts a year, whereas Botox lasts around four months.

Eddy Emilio, Director of Vida Aesthetics, who is pioneering the treatment, says the launch of Nithya is already proving popular with his clients.

'This exceptional collagen-boosting product is proven to be safe, has had no reported side effects, is hypoallergenic and gives excellent results. We truly believe this could rival the results of established but overused anti-ageing cosmetic treatments,' he said.

'This is the only commercially available Type I collagen intended for aesthetic use in the country, and we’re already getting rave reviews from cosmetic doctors thanks to its excellent results and numerous areas it can improve the appearance of. 

'The idea of using protein sourced from horses may seem quirky, but we’re certain this is the future of anti-ageing!'

Described as a 'truly unique form of pain-free anti-ageing treatment', Nithya, which is offered at Vida Aesthetics, is the first skin rejuvenation injectable made from equine-sourced protein available in the UK.

The £250 skin plumping treatment is apparently designed to holistically improve the production of new collagen, helping to ease fine lines around the eyes and improve facial volume in areas such as the cheeks.

Described as a 'truly unique form of pain-free anti-ageing treatment', Nithya, which is offered at Vida Aesthetics, is the first skin rejuvenation injectable made from equine-sourced protein available in the UK.

According to the clinic, results are long-lasting, and unlike wrinkle reduction treatments like Botox, which paralyse the muscles and dermal fillers, Nithya apparently works 'in harmony' with your natural tissue structure. The clinic say it lasts a year, whereas Botox lasts around four months.

Eddy Emilio, Director of Vida Aesthetics, who is pioneering the treatment, says the launch of Nithya is already proving popular with his clients.

'This exceptional collagen-boosting product is proven to be safe, has had no reported side effects, is hypoallergenic and gives excellent results. We truly believe this could rival the results of established but overused anti-ageing cosmetic treatments,' he said. 'This is the only commercially available Type I collagen intended for aesthetic use in the country, and we’re already getting rave reviews from cosmetic doctors thanks to its excellent results and numerous areas it can improve the appearance of. 

'The idea of using protein sourced from horses may seem quirky, but we’re certain this is the future of anti-ageing!'

The Vida Aesthitic clinic has some before and after photos posted here

From Vida Aesthetics site:

(Nithya) Is a Class III medical device. It is a heterologous Type I collagen powder which stimulates the production of new fibroblasts to create native Type III collagen, a process that is fundamental in cosmetic medicine and anti-aging treatments. In the form of a lyophilized collagen patch, this product has been used for almost 30 years and is still successfully used today to affect the healing of skin ulcers, open wounds, scars and bedsores.

Each package  consists of a glass bottle containing equine type I collagen in powder form, sterile and pyrogen-free.

Is safe, with no reported side effects, is hypoallergenic and gives excellent results. Used in combination with lidocaine, the surgery procedure is virtually painless and is the only commercially available Type I collagen intended for aesthetic surgery. The product bears the CE 0373 mark.

It produces the optimal conditions to restore connective tissue. It supplements dermal bio-revitalization and assists the regeneration of connective tissue in the dermis proving perfect conditions for the physiological neo-formation of collagen. Can be used for body and facial chrono- and photo-aging treatments.

Packaged for single use and must be placed in suspension immediately before use in WFI (Water For Injection) at a ratio of a vial of collagen to 5 ml of WFI. Once in suspension, the product should be used immediately and any remaining following the treatment should be discarded. Using the appropriate size needles from 32G x 2 mm up to 30G x 4 mm, the product is administered through intradermal infiltration by medical practitioners licensed to carry out such treatments. The technical skill of the practitioner is key to the success of the treatment so it is recommended that the practitioner receives specific training on the mesotherapic injection technique.

Vida Aesthetics is also offering Nithya injectable training: Link

Facial Injections: Does the size of the needle matter?

For Botox injections, is there any benefit with using smaller needles?

The current standard seems to be 30-gauge needles for Botox, buta recent study shows that 33-gauge needles caused less pain.

(Investigations related to clinical needle derived pain also demonstrate that needle size is not the only factor affecting patient comfort level. In addition, the mechanics of needle insertion has been found to significantly affect pain. Both the force and the mechanical workload (i.e., area under the force-displacement curve) of hypodermic needle insertion have been found to positively correlate with the frequency of pain. Thus, needle tip sharpness and other factors, such as lubrication, which can reduce the force of insertion and mechanical workload, and pre-treatment with a topical anesthetic are important parameters that can be optimized to reduce pain from needle insertions.)

From the study:

The highest level of pain was in the malar region, and the lowest level was in the glabella. Although all pain scores were lower for the 33-G microneedle, the difference was significant only for the forehead. Because most minimally invasive procedures require multiple injections during the same sitting, the overall procedure was evaluated as well. Assessment of the multiple-injection process demonstrated a significant difference in pain level, favoring the 33-G needle. Although the difference in bruising was not statistically significant between the two needles, the degree of bruising was lower with the 33-G needle.

Conclusions: For procedures that involve multiple injections to the face (such as mesotherapy and injection of botulinum toxin A), thinner needles result in less pain, making the overall experience more comfortable for the patient and the physician.

There are a few other studies that show similar results and there are some contradictory findings from a study in 2010.

References:

1. The Effect of Microneedle Thickness on Pain During Minimally Invasive Facial Procedures: A Clinical Study. . Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 1 July 2014 Billur Sezgin MD, Bora Ozel MD, Hakan Bulam MD, Kirdar Guney MD, Serhan Tuncer MD, Seyhan Cenetoglu MD

2. Effect of Needle Size on Pain Perception in Patients Treated With Botulinum Toxin Type A Injections: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2015 Nov;151(11):1194-9

3. Dermatol Surg. 2010;36(1):109-12. Needle preference in patients receiving cosmetic botulinum toxin type A. Price KM1, Williams ZY, Woodward JA.

4. Egekvist H, Bjerring P, Arendt-Nielsen L. Pain and mechanical injury of human skin following needle insertions. Eur J Pain. 1999 Mar;3(1):41-49.

5. Egekvist H, Bjerring P, Arendt-Nielsen L. Regional variations in pain to controlled mechanical skin traumas from automatic needle insertions and relations to ultrasonography. Skin Res Technol. 1999;247-54.

6. Schneider LW, Peck LS, Melvin JW. Penetration characteristics of hypodermic needles in skin and muscle tissue. Phase I (Appendices B-E). Final report. Highway Safety Research Institute, Ann Arbor, MI; 1978

7. Dermatol Surg. 2005 Dec;31(12):1655-9. Single-center, double-blind, randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of 4% lidocaine cream versus vehicle cream during botulinum toxin type A treatments. Carruthers A1, Carruthers J.

Originally published on LinkedIn by Michael Greenspan. Link