If you’ve been looking into antiageing skin care and aesthetic treatments, chances are you’ve come across the term collagen. You’ve also probably seen it on skincare labels and being sold as a supplement. This is because collagen plays a huge part in keeping our skin looking firm, plump and youthful. Collagen is actually a protein […]
If you’ve been looking into antiageing skin care and aesthetic treatments, chances are you’ve come across the term collagen. You’ve also probably seen it on skincare labels and being sold as a supplement. This is because collagen plays a huge part in keeping our skin looking firm, plump and youthful.
Collagen is actually a protein that is abundantly found in the human body and gives the skin its firmness, strength and elasticity. It is found deep in the dermis layer of the skin and is often referred to as the “scaffolding” of the skin. However, over time, as we age, the body produces less collagen, and lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, a diet filled with processed sugar further exacerbates the breakdown of collagen as do environmental factors like pollution and sun damage. As our collagen reserves reduce, we notice an increase in fine lines, wrinkles, overall skin laxity including sagging skin at the jawline and drooping skin at the brow bone.
The right skincare routine along with regular use of sunscreen will help reduce the breakdown of collagen while a diet rich in proteins, vitamin C, zinc and minerals can help promote collagen production. However, the best way to boost collagen reserves is to get an aesthetic treatment that targets the dermis layer of skin to kick start the process of collagen production. Here are some of these treatments.
This treatment targets the dermal and SMAS layer—where collagen is produced—with focussed ultrasound energy to boost the production of this protein. The treatment is completely non-invasive and bypasses the upper layer of skin to deliver localised heating at the precise depth of 3.0 to 4.5mm to kick start the body’s regenerative process that produces fresh, new collagen. This in turn has a lifting and tightening effect on the skin, which looks like lifted skin at the brow, a more defined jawline, softer lines and wrinkles. Even though thermal energy is involved in the process, it completely bypasses the surface of the skin, which means there are no marks or scars. Plus, proprietary real-time imaging technology enables the doctor to see where to direct the ultrasound energy for the best results as each person’s ageing pattern is different.
A mildly invasive treatment, threadlifts allow you lift lax and sagging skin as well as add definition to facial contours by boosting the production of collagen within the skin. As the name suggests, threads or sutures are strategically inserted into the skin to suspend it and create a lifted effect. Different types of threads can be used to achieve different effects and depending on the type of thread, it can take anywhere from six months to two years to be fully dissolved and eliminated from the body. While in the body, the threads trigger the production of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid and boost microcirculation. This translates into skin that is firm, plump and lifted for a youthful and defined visage. Since this treatment is only mildly invasive, it is low risk, cost effective and a great alternative for those who want a lifted and contoured visage minus the down time associated with a traditional face lift.
illumia Injectable Liquid PCL Firm and lift skin while softening the look of lines and wrinkles with this injectable that stimulates collagen production within the skin. Polycaprolactone or PCL is an FDA-approved material that is commonly used to stimulate collagen production. It is biocompatible and biodegradable which makes it relatively safe in the long run. Most often, PCL microspheres are suspended in an aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) gel carrier, which means it provides an immediate but temporary filling effect at a specific area. In contrast, the illumia Injectable Liquid PCL is free of microparticles and spreads out evenly across the face to provide a uniform and natural lifting and filling effect when injected into the dermal and sub dermal layers of the skin. It is able to do so by triggering the skin’s natural process of tissue repair which sets off a domino effect at the cellular level that results in collagen production. This boost of collagen helps smooth lines, lifts and firms skin and evens out skin texture to improve overall quality of skin. Over time, the PCL naturally breaks down via hydrolysis and is eliminated from the body.
