Microneedling can induce a wound healing response that encourages collagen production
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This article is part of a special issue investigating key questions about skin care. Find the complete series here.
Our skin inevitably loses some of its elasticity as we age. In the past, the main weapon against wrinkles and weakness – for those who could afford it – was to go under the surgeon’s knife. Today, there are many less invasive alternatives that promise to firm and rejuvenate our skin: everything from Botox injections, to devices that blast light or ultrasound into the skin, and even “vampire” facials, where blood extracts are injected into the face. .
Given that healthy skin brings broader health benefits, do these “adjustments” rejuvenate from the outside in? “The question is, is this just vanity or are you doing something that will help your future self?” says the dermatologist Clare Kiely at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London. “It depends on the type of treatment.”
Loss of elasticity
Aging involves many changes, but the main cause of our wrinkles is the reduction of collagen and elastin, the proteins that provide strength and elasticity. treatments like Botox – botulinum toxin injection to prevent the muscles from contracting – will do nothing to stop these changes, although it is an effective way to prevent forehead lines when injected into certain facial muscles. Also, injections of gel-like substances called dermal fillers under the skin can smooth wrinkles and add volume to tangled tissue, but they don’t correct underlying structural changes and can carry risks.
