An injectable composition having dermal filling and tissue expanding activity comprises: (1) a quantity of elastin sufficient to bring about dermal filling and tissue expansion when injected into a subject in need of dermal filling and tissue expansion； and (2) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition can further comprise collagen； in other alternatives, the composition can further comprise hyaluronic acid； and one or more of the elastin, the collagen, and the hyaluronic acid, if present can be cross-linked, either intramolecularly or intermolecularly. The elastin, however, is the primary filler, even if collagen or hyaluronic acid are included in the composition. Proanthocyanidin can act as a cross-linker and as a protector of elastin against UV degradation. Proanthocyanidin combined with a collagen or gelatin-hyaluronic acid matrix can inhibit matrix degradation and contraction with fibroblasts. Additionally, the present invention encompasses a method for augmenting the volume area of dermal tissue at sites where wrinkles and other tissue imperfections have caused visible changes associated with loss or rearrangement of the subcutaneous collagen network comprising the step of: providing an effective amount of a composition, which can be injected locally, and which consists of a mixture of macromolecules which are native constituents of the skin, the mixture comprising collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, which are held together by covalent, ionic or hydrogen bonds, and which include natural materials which have been demonstrated to increase the natural synthesis of these molecules by cells which reside in the dermis.
