injectables

Kim Kardashian has been fighting off rumors that she got collagen or fillers injected after a video of her with puffed-up lips surfaced. Kim, however, says that's silly. "Not true," she told Extra. "I have the flu. I'm puffy and swollen, and I have no makeup on." Plus, she says she'd never try lip injections. "I think my lips are big enough to my taste level," she added.

I've been down with the flu myself for most of this week. It did make me look different, but I only wish taut, extra-pouty lips had been my lot, instead of crappy skin and rheumy eyes. I can totally understand Kim's point about not having makeup on, but have you ever gotten a plumped-up pout from falling ill? Or are Kardashian illnesses, like so many other things about the clan, just beyond the ken of mere mortals? If you haven't seen the video people are talking about, just keep reading.

If you're getting Botox or Dysport in your forehead, you could also be losing muscle in your arms or legs, leading to sag not unlike these adorable Shar Peis. Doctors have long been aware that one of botulinum toxin's side effects is muscle wasting; after all, when you paralyze a muscle to keep it from wrinkling, it begins to weaken and atrophy very quickly.

Apparently new, however, are findings indicating that those effects aren't just limited to the injection site. It's not really shocking that this is the case; it seems hard to believe that a neurotoxin that spreads easily throughout muscles would stay put in one tiny section of your body, anyway. It's also not clear just how much of this wastage occurs in humans — the experiment in question was conducted on a small number of rabbits who received multiple injections over six months. Still, not exactly comforting news for injectables fans. Does this story put you off the 'tox, or would you still feel safe using it?

Source: Flickr User Emdot

A new procedure called the Selphyl System (self-fill, get it?) is purporting to "rejuvenate" patients (like the woman at right) by drawing blood, then using a centrifuge to separate the components out. Then, the platelets and fibrin are injected back into the face.

Supposedly, your body reacts to the injections by producing a bunch of collagen, thereby making your face appear fuller over time. Results take three weeks to develop and last for up to 18 months, and the procedure costs about $1,100. Not for me, but I can see it creating a lot of interest. What do you think?