Wrinkle gel cautions urged

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Wrinkle fillers made by companies including Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. and Allergan Inc. should carry warnings about scarring, tissue damage, and other serious complications that may take months to appear, a US panel said.

Current prescribing information for the products inaccurately describes most side effects as quickly noticeable and temporary, outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said yesterday at a meeting in Gaithersburg. The panel didn't take a formal vote, and its recommendations aren't binding on the FDA.

About 1.36 million women and 84,000 men opted last year to get injections of animal collagens or chemicals to smooth facial skin and reduce signs of aging, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The FDA has said it expects more companies to seek marketing approval for these so-called dermal fillers, or gels, so it wants better ways to track and communicate their safety.