At present, the growth factor for external use is safe and effective, and can promote wound healing. However, it should be emphasized that growth factors can only be used for external use, and it is illegal to inject or take orally, which is prohibited by the state.
Li Gang, Chief Physician, Department of Plastic Surgery and Medical Beauty, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University
Nowadays, on some social media, many bloggers in online celebrity will recommend a filling injection material called "growth factor", saying that as long as it is injected into the depressed part of the face, it can promote the growth of cells in this part, make it become "self-filler" and make the original "collapsed" part full.
In this regard, Li Gang, chief physician of the Department of Plastic Surgery and Medical Beauty of the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, said that the growth factor for external use is safe and effective at present, which can promote wound healing.
"However, it needs to be emphasized that growth factors can only be used externally, and it is illegal to inject or take orally, which is prohibited by the state." Li Gang said.
The use method is limited to external use.
Earlier, there were many reports that some beauty lovers were injected with growth factors, which caused their chins to grow crazy and their foreheads to bulge, which made people once talk about the discoloration of growth factors.
"Growth factor is a kind of cytokine, which is a kind of polypeptide substance that regulates cell growth by combining with specific and high affinity cell membrane receptors." Li Gang explained that growth factors will transmit signals to cells through specific receptors on the plasma membrane and act on genes related to cell proliferation, thus affecting cell growth or differentiation. In short, growth factors are substances that can promote cell growth and proliferation.
The human body secretes a variety of growth factors, which regulate and control the growth, development, metabolism, aging and other life activities of body cells.
"From a physiological point of view, there are three kinds of growth factors, of which two have cosmetic effects." Li Gang introduced that the first one is epidermal growth factor, which can promote the growth of epidermis and stimulate the division of basal cells, thus repairing damaged epidermis; The second is fibroblast growth factor, which can promote the growth of collagen and help the recovery of dermis. These two kinds have cosmetic effects. The third is vascular endothelial growth factor, which can promote the growth of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
Clinically, growth factor is a regular external drug. After skin injury, whether acute or chronic, it can accelerate the healing of skin wounds after being coated with growth factor. "Skin aging is actually a chronic injury to the skin, which is also the principle that growth factors can be used for beauty. At present, epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor are also widely used in medical skin care. " Li Gang said that growth factors can repair damaged skin (corneal and epidermal damage) and skin after laser surgery. It can regenerate epidermis and help skin form a healthy barrier. This barrier is very powerful, which can improve the skin’s heat preservation, anti-allergic and anti-radiation abilities.
However, Li Gang emphasized that whether as a medicine or a beauty product, the use of growth factors is limited to external use, and the general use method is daubing or spraying.
Cells may grow out of order after injection.
"The growth factor for external use is safe and effective and can be used as a therapeutic drug, but the state has only approved its use as an external drug. If it is illegal to inject or take orally, it is impossible for growth factor injections to appear in regular hospitals." Li Gang said.
Data show that many patients with disfigurement caused by the use of growth factors are injected with growth factors or drugs containing growth factors. Some people cause abnormal facial growth after injection of growth factors, such as irregular bulges on the skin.
"After the growth factor is injected into the human body, its role in promoting growth is uncontrollable, which will lead to a disorderly and disorderly growth, which may have a series of adverse effects." Li Gang said.
First of all, after the growth factor is injected into the human body, it will stimulate the skin cells around the injection site to multiply rapidly, leading to unlimited or abnormal growth of tissues, and the skin will have symptoms such as redness and hardness. The newly grown tissues often exceed the expected size, and may even lead to disfigurement.
Secondly, once there is a problem, it is very difficult to take out the growth factor. Even if the doctor takes it out, it is difficult to ensure that there is absolutely no residue. "Even if only a little growth factor remains in a certain part, the part can grow wildly." Li Gang said.
In addition, the injected person may be disfigured by human factors. For example, due to improper injection techniques or operations, growth factors are injected into large blood vessels, causing vascular embolism; Pinhole infection causes skin to fester, forming scars and even keloids.
"In short, at present, China has not approved any growth factor filling drugs, and drugs containing growth factors are prohibited from being used for tissue filling." Li Gang stressed.
Growth factors often appear in "vest"
Although the state explicitly prohibits it, accidents of disfigurement caused by injection of growth factors still often appear in the news.
"Every once in a while, a so-called ‘ High-tech products ’ These new products are probably just illegal injection fillers ‘ Vest ’ That’s all. ‘ Freeze-dried powder ’ ‘ Growth peptide ’ ‘ Stem cells ’ ‘ Youth element ’ … … These sound ‘ Gaodashang ’ Our products are actually growth factors. " Li Gang reminded that many beauty seekers were injected with these growth factors in "new clothes" without knowing it. Once the injection area was found to be abnormally raised and continued to grow, it is recommended to go to a regular hospital for examination as soon as possible.
Then, if there is a filling demand, which products can the majority of beauty lovers choose?
"The most commonly used injection filling is hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid). Human skin itself contains a lot of hyaluronic acid, which is a moisturizing factor of the skin. After being injected into the human body, it can expand to 500 to 1000 times. In addition to the characteristics of moisturizing and volume expansion, it also has biological stability, is not easy to transfer and is water-insoluble, which also makes hyaluronic acid a very good tissue filler with high filling efficiency and safety. " Li Gang pointed out that, for example, water needles also contain hyaluronic acid.
Because injection beauty belongs to micro-plastic surgery, many beauty lovers feel that it has little side effects and quick recovery, so this kind of project is highly sought after. In this regard, Li Gang reminded that even micro-plastic surgery does not mean "no risk, micro-risk". "Micro-plastic ‘ Micro ’ It does mean minor damage, but it doesn’t mean simplicity, but it means subtlety and subtlety of technology. When carrying out these medical beauty projects, beauty lovers need to polish their eyes and find regular medical institutions and qualified professional doctors for micro-plastic surgery, instead of making micro-plastic surgery ‘ Critical plastic surgery ’ 。” He said.
Relevant experts said that when injecting hyaluronic acid, it is not uncommon for patients to have vascular embolism and nerve injury, and even lead to skin necrosis, even blindness, hemiplegia and death, due to the lack of professional and formal medical education and ignorance of facial anatomy.
"In recent years, ‘ Yan value economy ’ And ‘ Pleasant consumption ’ With vigorous growth, the medical and beauty industry has mushroomed. Strong demand not only promoted the development of the market, but also gave birth to many industry chaos. In order to avoid ‘ Tread on the pit ’ , the majority of beauty lovers should not blindly follow the trend, and do not want any product ‘ Fire ’ Just try it easily. It is necessary to learn more about medical beauty knowledge and choose a regular hospital or beauty institution for medical beauty operation. " Li Gang stressed again.