An injectable medicine that has been used to help treat frown lines, crow's feet and smile lines for decades is being used in a different way. According to the Raleigh News and Observer, collagen injections are being used on vocal chords to help keep the voice sounding younger. The newspaper reports that otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat, or ENT, doctors) inject the substance into thinning vocal chords in patients that want to maintain or restore a more youthful-sounding voice.

Like other parts of the body, the voice can change over time. Research has found that older individuals often experience breathiness, weakness and loss of range or quality of the voice as they age, the news source reports. While there are many different treatments for an aging voice, collagen injections are common. Other options include vocal exercises and surgery.

According to VoiceDoctor.net, individuals who experience hoarseness or another vocal problem can expect to undergo a procedure to pinpoint the problem before a course of treatment is chosen. An otolaryngologist will use a small camera to view the vocal chords in the larynx.

In addition, collagen injections, whether they are for the face or the voice, are not permanent and need to be repeated every two to four months, according to InjectableSafety.org.

An aging baby boomer population and a difficult job market may mean that more people seek out anti-aging treatments like this. There are a number of surgeries or procedures that aim to make patients appear younger, including facelifts, Botox injections and forehead lifts.