Belotero Balance (Merz Pharmaceuticals) is the latest in a wave of new hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers for treating lines and wrinkles and is expected to get FDA approval in September 2010.

Similar to Restylane and Juvederm, Belotero was introduced in Germany in 2005, according to Heidi A. Waldorf, MD, commenting in a recent blog post at the American Health & Beauty Web site. Waldorf says Belotero stand out due to it’s ability to treat superficial lines. "There are some patients for who need fine line filling — whether you treated volume underneath the fine lines or whether they just have some very superficial lines. We know we can resurface patients but there are just some who don’t need that much resurfacing or do not have the time for the downtime.

"Due to light scattering, clear dermal fillers (Restylane and Juvederm) may cause a blue hue if they are placed too superficially. It appears that Belotero does not," she adds.

Known as The Tyndall Effect, skin that is injected too superficially with dermal fillers will appear slightly bluish, as if bruised or there is an appearance of blood vessels. In studies and cases that have been performed in Europe, this has not been associated with Belotero.

Touted as a smooth, cohesive, monophasic gel that integrates rapidly into the skin, and reportedly shown to have an excellent safety profile, Belotero Balance is seeking approval for injection into the mid-to-deep dermis for correction of moderate to severe wrinkles and folds.

[Source: American Health & Beauty/PRNewswire]