Macroline is a new word in the cosmetic correction of pectus excavatum

Macrolane injections are a new type of non-surgical cosmetic correction of pectus excavatum. When using this technique, the deformation on the patient's chest is filled with a special Macroline gel (hence the name of the procedure). Since the technique is non-surgical, it can only be used when the defect is purely cosmetic and does not affect vital organs (lungs or heart).

Previously, there were attempts to carry out correction with other drugs: Surgiderm and Restylane, which were in demand, even despite the high cost. With the advent of Macroline, the cost of this type of VDHA correction has decreased significantly. Macroline replaces the method of implanting silicone implants, or can be used at the first stage of superficial contour correction of pectus excavatum.

Macroline is also used to correct residual deformities after thoracoplasty and other injuries to the chest. The gel can also be used to shape body contours. Macroline can be successfully used instead of a silicone prosthesis in cases where it is necessary to avoid superficial incisions.

Macroline - composition

Macroline is a gel based on hyaluronic acid and water. This naturally occurring polysaccharide is already found in human tissues and is therefore hypoallergenic. All additional impurities are excluded. Currently, two types of Macroline are used. They differ in the volume recovery factor (20 units or 30 units). The first is used for minor deformations, the second for deeper ones. The final decision on the use of Macroline with one or another recovery factor is made only by the attending physician.

Macroline – filler for breast and buttock enlargement

Beautiful, firm breasts and attractive body contours are the dream of almost every woman. But not everyone is ready to go under a scalpel for this: the fear of inevitable anesthesia, pain and scars gets in the way. Therefore, surgeons are increasingly trying to use minimally invasive injection techniques not only for easy facial rejuvenation, but also as an alternative to full-fledged plastic surgery.

Macrolane is an injectable filler based on hyaluronic acid, designed specifically for breast augmentation, buttocks and other volumetric body corrections. It has been produced for about 10 years by the Swedish corporation Q-med, which is well known in the Russian beauty market thanks to its drug Restylane.

The manufacturer promises comfortable and safe injections, a pronounced effect, a minimum of complications and unpleasant consequences. However, is everything so smooth with this “revolutionary” gel? What does the experience of its use in aesthetic medicine indicate? Tecrussia.ru analyzes the available information and draws conclusions:

↑ What kind of drug is this and how does it work?

The Macroline line contains two types of fillers that can be used individually or in combination:

• The abbreviation VRF (from the English Volume Restoration Factor) stands for volume restoration factor. The higher it is, the more noticeably the target area of ​​the body can be enlarged.
• The main active substance in both fillers is cross-linked stabilized high molecular weight hyaluronic acid.

In its action, Macroline is similar to any other hyaluronic fillers: when it gets into the treated area, it increases it due to its own volume and additionally attracted water molecules. The difference is that to get rid of, for example, wrinkles on the face, 1-2 ml of intradermal filler is enough, while breast or buttock augmentation will require the introduction of about 200-300 ml - which ultimately affects both the complexity of the procedure and the its price.

↑ Main indications: what can be increased and corrected with Macroline?

This gel is intended primarily for those patients who fundamentally do not want to resort to plastic surgery or have direct contraindications to it. Its capabilities are quite wide and allow:

• enlarge your breasts (by ~1 size) or correct their shape;
• add volume to the buttocks and improve their contour;
• eliminate the appearance of a funnel-shaped (sunken) chest, in the absence of disturbances in the functioning of internal organs;
• smooth the skin surface after volumetric liposuction;
• create body contours that imitate muscle relief;
• adjust the shape and size of almost any other part of the body, incl. knees, calf muscles, elbows, genitals.

Can Macroline be used for facial rejuvenation? Officially, the manufacturer does not recommend this, but some unscrupulous cosmetologists actually use this gel (mainly VRF20) as an alternative to Radiesse, Ellanse and other fillers intended for large-scale volume restoration.

Their patients can be understood, since the savings in money are very noticeable - about 3 times. Due to the large size of hyaluronic acid molecules, the drug gives a visible effect and lasts a long time in the tissues. But this is its main disadvantage: firstly, you will have to use thicker needles, which is why the marks on the face will be more noticeable, and the swelling and bruises will be larger. Secondly, it will hurt, not only during the injections, but also for several days after them (up to the need to take anesthetics). In addition, in comparison with preparations specifically designed for the face, the risk of migration, gel protrusion and other complications of contouring is significantly increased.

↑ How the procedure is performed

During the consultation, the doctor determines the areas into which the filler will be injected and its volume (at the same time, during the session, the amount of the drug can be changed either up or down, since the initial effect is visible immediately). Next, the patient undergoes standard tests and communicates with the anesthesiologist, after which the day of the operation is set.

• Macroline injections are carried out using special small-diameter cannulas, the punctures of which do not leave scars on the skin. According to pre-applied markings, the surgeon injects the drug and distributes it evenly in the tissues.
• The procedure is performed both under local anesthesia and general anesthesia. The latter option is used if a significant volume of gel is injected, as well as if delicate areas of the body are treated (breasts, intimate organs) and for patients with high sensitivity, since the process itself is extremely painful.
• Then cosmetic stitches are applied to the puncture sites and after a short medical observation the patient can go home.

Rehabilitation takes a long time and is comparable to the consequences of a full-fledged plastic surgery rather than a quick and easy recovery after contouring. For 2-3 weeks, you will need to wear supportive, but not compressive underwear, which should keep the gel from migrating, and you will only have to sleep on your back (if breast augmentation) or on your stomach (if working on the buttocks).

• Breast lipofilling: augmentation with your own fat

In the first few days, you will have to put up with a feeling of fullness in the treated area, which most patients characterize as painful. For another month you will have to avoid anything associated with an increase in body temperature (bathhouse, gym), and also limit physical activity on the corrected areas of the body as much as possible. For example, after buttock augmentation with Macroline, it is extremely undesirable to walk a lot or sit on hard surfaces. Violation of these recommendations can lead to migration of the gel in soft tissues, its rapid resorption, the appearance of edema and even helioma - encapsulation of the gel contents like a cyst or contracture after installation of implants.

↑ Contraindications, possible complications and side effects

The main restrictions on use in our case are the same as for other intradermal fillers : pregnancy and lactation, general malaise, cancer, bleeding disorders, diabetes, etc. In addition, the drug is not recommended for injection into the mammary glands for women who are planning to have children in the next couple of years. This is due to the growth and change in the functioning of the mammary gland during pregnancy: unresorbed gel can squeeze the milk ducts, migrate from its usual place, and cause pain.

Despite the safety declared by the manufacturer, the experience of using Macroline in Russia and European countries has revealed quite serious and frequently occurring problems:

• Periodic or constant unexplained pain in the correction area, especially during breast augmentation.
• Migration of the gel outside the treated area - under the influence of gravity, the filler can behave completely unpredictably. Plastic surgeon Tair Aliyev cites as an example a case when one of his patients, who had previously used the services of an Italian plastic surgery clinic, “part of the substance went down below the level of the inframammary fold and was in the form of a separate protrusion.”
• Uneven absorption of the drug, which leads to temporary asymmetry of body contours, the need for repeated correction or removal of residues.
• Difficulty in conducting X-ray examinations and ultrasound examinations of the mammary glands - in the photographs, accumulations of gel look like cysts, which complicates the early diagnosis of cancer and treatment of mastopathy.
• Problems with lactation due to possible blockage of the milk ducts by filler.
• Development of fibrous contracture or helioma.

Due to such a wide list of complications, Macroline filler is prohibited for use in some European countries. In the US, it did not even pass the initial review for further FDA approval. At the same time, in Russia this drug is registered by Roszdravnadzor (registration No. FSZ 2009/05139), and is actively promoted by a number of plastic surgery clinics.

↑ How much does Macroline cost? Current prices

The average cost of the gel (both VRF20 and VRF30) is about 8000-10000 rubles per 10 ml syringe. This is significantly less than what you would have to pay for the same amount of hyaluronic fillers for the face, but given the need to inject large volumes, the total amount is quite large.

Thus, the price of 300 ml of Macroline - approximately the amount required for breast enlargement by 1 size - will range from 240,000 to 300,000 rubles , which is comparable to the cost of an operation to install breast implants from a good Moscow surgeon.

One should not expect any changes in this matter: there are no analogues of the drug that could spur competition on the market. And Q-med itself, it seems, is not too happy with the results of its experiment and does not plan to develop this area in the future.

↑ Macroline: pros and cons

The Swedish gel has enough supporters and opponents, and the arguments on both sides are quite compelling. Moreover, interestingly, the same factor can be positioned both as an advantage and as a disadvantage.

• The drug was originally created as a non-surgical alternative to breast augmentation, but not all women can use it. The procedure is not suitable for women with moderate or significant soft tissue ptosis, since injections in this case will only worsen the problem. In addition, you can increase your bust only within 1 size.
• As you know, hyaluronic acid is eliminated from the body over time, so the effect of injections does not last very long - the manufacturer promises up to 2 years, but many of the patients who tried Macroline report that the result lasted at most 6-8 months , as when using conventional hyaluronic fillers for the face.
• Until the gel is completely absorbed, no other aesthetic procedures are possible in the target area, such as the installation of implants or lipofilling.
• Many experts are confident that when such large volumes of artificial HA are introduced into the body, the mechanisms for producing its own hyaluronic acid are significantly inhibited, which means that after several years, patients may experience that the skin will become dehydrated and sluggish.
• The main advantage of Macroline injection is considered to be less traumatic compared to surgery. However, the introduction of such large volumes of gel has a serious impact on health: punctures with cannulas, ruptures and compression of soft tissues, blood vessels, nerve endings, mammary gland ducts, etc. The average amount of filler required for one procedure is 300 ml - and it needs to somehow “spread” the space for itself, which cannot but affect the surrounding organs.
• To maintain the achieved effect, it will be necessary to regularly (in the best case – once every 1.5-2 years, and most likely even more often) carry out new injection sessions.

In summary, the procedure is positioned as a minimally invasive alternative to plastic surgery, but often requires general anesthesia, is associated with quite complex rehabilitation and has a wide list of possible complications. In addition, its cost is extremely high, and changes do not last as long as we would like. Taking these factors into account, the installation of high-quality buttock or breast implants, as well as lipofilling, look much more promising both in terms of the duration of the result and in terms of the load on the body.

↑ Expert opinion:

Macroline injection procedure technique

Before the procedure begins, the area of ​​deformation is determined, lines are drawn on the patient’s chest along which the injection will be carried out. The procedure for administering Macroline itself is not so complicated, but must be carried out in an operating room (to avoid infections). The drug is injected under the skin of the patient in a lying position, while the doctor massages the injection area to distribute the gel more evenly. The procedure takes only 15 minutes and is performed using local anesthesia, although, if the patient wishes, it can also be performed under intravenous anesthesia.

Gel Macroline for women

Without anesthesia and traumatic surgery, only by injecting Macroline gel into the desired area, you can:

• enlarge your breasts by one size;
• make the buttocks more rounded and prominent;
• smooth the contours of previously installed breast implants when there is a lack of own adipose tissue;
• correct asymmetry - change the shape and size of one breast that has lost part of the glandular tissue;
• eliminate the consequences of poorly performed liposuction - fill the resulting depressions and irregularities with Macroline gel.

Macrolane injections are a real alternative to traditional breast augmentation surgeries. The whole procedure takes about an hour, takes place under local anesthesia , the effect is visible immediately, and not after a long rehabilitation period. The developers of the method claim that the breasts after Macroline injections look natural; the drug does not in any way betray its presence in the mammary gland. Many cosmetologists and their patients share this point of view.

Moreover, hyaluronic acid, entering the tissues of the breasts or buttocks, maintains optimal moisture, including the skin, which becomes smoother and looks much fresher and younger. In addition, hyaluron is a powerful stimulator of fibroblasts - cells that produce collagen and elastin. Increasing the production of these proteins is the key to maintaining skin and subcutaneous tissues in tone.

Macrolane is administered with special cannulas , after anesthetizing the affected area. How much gel to inject is determined by the doctor during a preliminary consultation, but during the procedure, after assessing the result that is immediately visible, the amount of filler can be changed.

Rehabilitation period

Sometimes after surgery there is swelling, hematoma and some pain, itching is possible. However, all these symptoms accompany any, even minor, surgical intervention. They usually disappear completely within a week or two after the injections.

No special rehabilitation period is required. During the day, it is necessary to avoid getting moisture at the injection site, and for a week or two, avoid massage or other pressure on the chest.

To achieve optimal results, the procedure can be adjusted after 2-3 weeks - the doctor can add or remove a little gel, if necessary.

How much does Macroline cost, price of injections in clinics

At first glance, the price of Macroline gel is low - about 600 rubles per syringe with one milliliter of the drug . And this despite the fact that 1 ml of Perline hyaluronic filler costs about 15,000 rubles. However, when it comes to correcting the shape of the breasts or buttocks, it is assumed to use 200-300 ml of the drug, and this is already 120,000-180,000 rubles . The amount is impressive and quite comparable to the cost of surgery to install a durable silicone implant.

Macroline began to be used in cosmetology relatively recently; it has absolutely no competitors - drugs with a similar effect. Hence the high price that you have to pay for a relatively safe (without incisions or anesthesia) way to give your breasts a beautiful shape. Can we expect the cost of Macrolane to decrease? Yes, but only if other cosmetic companies produce drugs with similar effects.

Macrolane injections for men

The desire to have a beautiful body has long ceased to be the prerogative of women. Today, the shape of the buttocks, legs, and chest is important for many men, but not all representatives of the stronger half of humanity are ready (and want!) to spend many hours in the gym, “pumping up” volume in the right areas. And not everyone will decide to go under the surgeon’s knife either.

Contour plastic surgery using Macroline gel allows you to get results quickly, without pain and without effort on the part of the patient . There is no moral torment: “What will colleagues and friends say?”, immediately after the procedure you can return to your usual activities, no one will even guess about the filler injection procedure. And the absence of a foreign substance (silicone gel) in your own body cannot but rejoice.

Preparation for the procedure should begin with a visit to a cosmetologist (attention: only specialists who have undergone special training can work with Macroline), who will tell you in detail about the drug, the method of its administration and the expected result. often used in which a second procedure is performed 9 months after the first procedure . This technique allows you to maintain the results for up to two years.