What are skin boosters?
Skin booster or ‘skin-quality’ injectables injections hydrate, rejuvenate and revitalise your skin from within without adding fullness. Skin boosters are for all age groups, whether you are younger and wanting prejuvenation and radiant ‘glass skin’ or older and wanting an increase in hydration and improvement in fine lines and firmness. Skin boosters allow you to look like yourself just more luminous.
Who are these treatments suitable for?
Collagen loss and hyaluronic acid loss begins in the mid-twenties and is lost at a rate of 10% per decade, the rate speeds up during perimenopause and menopause. Skin boosters regenerate the skin by stimulating more collagen and elastin production and adding hyaluronic acid.
Some skin boosters such as polynucleotides have other properties too, such as ability to stimulate microcirculation, decrease melanin production, scavenge free radicals and stimulate fat and bone formation.
Indicators you may benefit include:
- Loss of firmness, lines or wrinkles due to intrinsic or environmental factors
- Dryness, flakiness or signs of dehydration
- Uneven texture, enlarged pores or acne scarring
- Sun damage like age spots, freckles or melasma patches
- Desire to offset future photoaging or maintain skin health
- Wishing to glow with sheer, hydrated coverage instead of makeup
What are the different types of skin booster injectables available?
There are several types of skin booster injectable. One of the first to become available was Profhilo, which is a mixture of low molecular weight and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid loosely bond due to a patented thermal treatment. There are many other hyaluronic only skin boosters such as Ejal 40, which is medium molecular weight hyaluronic acid, Hyal 70 and Geo Lifting.
Another class or family of skin boosters is those which combine hyaluronic acid with the building blocks of collagen: amino acids. Examples here are Jalupro and Sunekos as well as many other new emerging brands. Many pharmaceutical companies have now taken this a step further and also added peptides as well as the amino acids, an example is Jalupro Super Hydro.
Then there is the polynucleotides or as it is known colloquially; salmon dna. These consist of fragments of salmon or trout dna suspended in a hydrating gel. Polynucleotides have been studied for year for wound tissue healing after surgery prior to being launched in the aesthetics world as a way to regenerate skin tissue and reduce inflammation due to acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. Examples of polynucleotide brands are Ameela, PhilArt, Plinest and Nucleofill.
The latest development now are combination products which combine hyaluronic acid, polynucleotides and peptides such as Illuma Luna which is an undereye skin booster.
Which areas can be treated with skin booster injections?
The most common places for skin booster injectables are the face, neck, the delicate skin around the eyes, the sun-damaged skin of the decollete and the hands.
Other areas such as crepey skin on the elbows and underneath the upper arms can be treated and there are even skin boosters for the scalp to help improve hair growth such as Geo Hair which can be combined with special hair mesotherapy cocktails or platelet rich plasma to super charge the hair follicles.
Are there specific skin boosters for the skin under the eyes?
Skin booster treatments are particularly advantageous for those struggling with concerns such as dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines, especially for those in whom dermal filler is not a suitable option. There are specific skin boosters for the delicate skin around the eyes, mainly polynucleotide skin boosters such as Ameela Eyes, AMI eyes and LUMI Eyes and soft, dilute skin boosters containing added amino acids such as Jalupro.
How are skin boosters different to dermal fillers?
Dermal fillers are volumisers and have the aim of replacing lost volume or producing contour and shape. The hyaluronic acid in dermal fillers is a more cohesive type of hyaluronic acid than in skin boosters and is designed to stay in the site where they are injected and provide volume and projection.
The main objective of skin boosters is to improve the condition of the skin (the canvas) by providing overall hydration and stimulating collagen and elastin production. They will not change the shape or contour of your face but can be combined with dermal fillers if you have deep lines or need volume and lifting as well. Skin boosters can also be combined with anti-wrinkle injections.
What is involved in the treatment and is there down-time?
The injections are superficial into the dermis and may be administered using a needle or a cannula.
Following the injections, you will usually have small bumps on the skin at the injection points. Sometimes, these bumps will have dissipated by the time you are leaving the clinic. They will usually settle over the next few hours. The skin may be red surrounding the injection sites for about 10 minutes.
What are the results?
Immediately post-treatment, a patient may not see a result, but over the ensuing weeks, they will feel as though their skin is better hydrated, has that lovely glow that everyone wants, and has improved elasticity and firmness. The gradual firming effect comes from enhanced collagen production—something each booster aims to deliver in its own way depending on its ingredients.
How often should I get skin booster treatments?
Generally, it is recommended to book in for skin booster treatments every 4 to 6 months. When patients are getting treated regularly with skin boosters the effects of anti-wrinkle injections tend to last longer as the skin is more supple, hydrated, and cushioned. The two treatments, therefore, are complementary to each other.