Per Winlof - 'The story of fillers' #153

Episode 153 hosts Per Winlof, Chief Design Expert of Galderma based in Uppsala, Sweden. Per leads Galderma’s global R&D and is responsible for all of their filler portfolio from the past, the present and into the future. Back in 1990 Per was a microbiology student at university in Uppsala. To help supplement his income, he applied for a job at a very small biotech company founded by Dr Bengt Ågerup called ‘Q-Med’. Although fillers were already available (as collagen-based products), Per and his team developed a completely new way of manufacturing fillers made out of a sugar-molecule using bacteria. They launched the world’s first sugar-based dermal filler in 1996. This new product completely revolutionised the world of facial aesthetics. To this day, approximately 95% of dermal fillers are based on this original technology. Q-Med were acquired by Galderma in 2010 and this podcast celebrates the 25th birthday of the world's first modern filler.  We explore: - Per’s background and why he applied for a job at Q-Med? - Who started Q-Med and why? - Who developed the original technology of sugar-based fillers and why they were invented in the first place? - How the idea of facial fillers was conceived? - The key differences between collagen fillers (available in the early 1990’s) and the newer sugar-based fillers - How sugar-based fillers are made in the lab? - The advantages of fillers that don't contain animal products - Why fillers come in a 1ml syringe? - What cross-linking is? - The beginnings of the science of filler rheology: how and why the properties of fillers can differ? - Filler integration vs tissue integration - Whether fillers dissolve or not? - The key safety feature of sugar-based fillers: reversibility and the use of dissolving agents - Whether Per gave us any clues about what’s coming in the future?   IA PATREON: Did you know that we have an online injectable education and business mentoring service called IA Patreon? Get access to the following benefits (depending on your tier): - Access to four IA Whatsapp groups (General, Injectables, Business & Regenerative Aesthetics)  - Access to our IA Injectable Live sessions (Injectable Zoom sessions led by Dr Jake) - Access to weekly IA Hints & Tips (Videos, insights & other injectable education) - Access to our IA Business Hints & Tips (Videos of business hints and experiences) - Access to IA Business Insights (Zoom recordings of David doing business coaching with our IA Patrons) - Access to our growing IA Library of clinical papers, books and resources - Access to eight IA Webinars - Business mentoring opportunities with David (30 minutes free for Platinum tier Patrons) - Shadowing opportunities in clinic with Dr Jake (additional cost)   CONTACT INFORMATION: Subscribe to IA on Apple Podcasts Subscribe to IA on Spotify Other IA links: Follow IA on Instagram Sign up as an IA Patron Visit the IA website  Contact IA Apply to be a guest on IA Dr Jake Sloane: Follow Dr Jake on Instagram  Dr Jake's website David Segal: Follow David on Instagram