Take a shot at fighting wrinkles Q: Quite a few of my friends get regular Botox injections. The idea of injecting botulism into my face is one I just can't stomach. But I have to admit being envious that my friends' wrinkles have all but disappeared while mine seem to stand out more than ever. Are there any natural anti-wrinkle injections I could try? Dr. Wright: There's only one kind of cosmetic injection that gets my conditional approval --actual human collagen. Two products containing it were approved back in 2003: Cosmoderm for superficial lines and Cosmoplast for deeper lines and wrinkles. These are supposed to last three to six months, and since they're made from real human collagen, it's highly unlikely that they would ever cause any problems. But I still can't give them my unconditional approval for two reasons. First, the collagen is combined with lidocaine, a local anesthetic frequently used in dental work. Lidocaine allergy is rare, but if you don't know for sure whether you're allergic to it or not, it's a very good idea to check this aspect before trying Cosmoderm or Cosmoplast. Second, the collagen in these products is cloned from human newborn foreskin. Your opinion of this may vary according to religious persuasion, but from a strictly medical point of view, newborn and infant circumcision is an extremely unnecessary amputation of a normal, functional part of male human anatomy. But even with the possible ethical arguments against it, if you're thinking of having cosmetic injections, then this is the only kind presently available that I think is OK in terms of safety. | 
