MHRA bans yet another cosmetic product

The MHRA has banned yet another cosmetic product. Following their recent ban on PIP breast implants, they’ve now banned Novabel, a skin filler. Most dermal fillers used in the UK these days contain hyaluronic acid (HA). In fact, there have been over 10 million injections of HA products such as Restylane (r) and Juvederm (r) throughout the world. With this many treatments, we know the safety profile and the risks of treatments. New products, such as Novabel, which is an Alginate (and therefore is made from seaweed derivatives) remain tested in only limited numbers. Only once they are released for general use do we really see the results of extensive field trials. The MHRA must have received too many reports of injections and inflammatory nodules (called granulomas) and has told practitioners to stop injecting the product. Hopefully the people that have bought stocks of these will read the information sent by the MHRA and will return any unused product to the manufacturers. Why use a cheap product when there are safer tried and tested alternatives available? More information from the MHRA website here: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetywarnings/MedicalDeviceAlerts/CON090979