Injectable fillers for aesthetic facial use continues to expand in popularity as well as in the number of available products to do it. The most commonly used injectable fillers with the lowest rate of any adverse effects are hyaluron or hyaluronic-acid based. More than two-thirds of available injectable fillers used around the world are composed of HA in varying concentrations.
Expression, manufactured by Enhancement Medical out of Wisconsin, is one of the newest HA fillers to become commercially available. It has multiple features that make it unique. It is the first HA filler to be made from a pathogen-free bacterial fermentation process using strains of Bacillus. (every other manufacturer uses Streptococcus) It is manufactured using a water-based process that is free of solvents or animal-derived products. It is a cross-linked HA filler that uses a proprietary technology of Divinyl Sulfone. It has a concentration of 24mg/ml and a gel to fluid ratio of 80:20 which makes it similar to such fillers as Juvederm. In addition, it has a two year shelf life that is stable at room temperature. Its persistence is assumed to be similar to other HA fillers that have 24mg/ml concentrations of around 6 to 9 months.
One of its most unique features is that it comes in 1.5cc syringes, offering 50% more material per syringe than most other available injectable fillers. Expression is currently marketed and sold for use as an intranasal splint. Its application for FDA approval as an aesthetic injectable filler is pending.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana