What is Regenerative Aesthetics?
As one of the the leading cosmetic centers in the United States, The Dermatology and Laser Group has always been at the forefront of advancements in aesthetic medicine. We were one of the first practices in New York City to adapt Regenerative Aesthetic techniques to provide natural rejuvenation results on the face, neck, and body.
Regenerative Aesthetics is a field of medicine that uses treatments that harness the body's own healing mechanisms to rejuvenate the skin and underlying structures. Regenerating tissue that has deteriorated from aging and environmental factors is achieved with both injections and device based procedures.
The common factor between all Regenerative Aesthetic procedures is that they activate the same pathways our bodies naturally use to repair injuries or wounds. For example when your injure your skin with a paper cut, the injured cells kickstart a wound healing cascade that leads to a release of proteins called growth factors. Growth factors boost signals in our body leading to new skin formation with increased collagen and elastin, thus repairing the paper cut. Regenerative injections and procedures introduce increased growth factors into tissue kickstarting the process of rejuvenation.
Regenerative Aesthetics can be used to increase collagen and elastin in the skin, helping to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin texture. The procedures also increase skin hydration, can even skin tone, and produce a healthy glow. Under the skin, natural rejuvenation of muscle and healthy and natural volumization can be achieved with certain devices that help build back muscle tone.
These regenerative procedures are an excellent choice for anyone who wants to rejuvenate in a healthy way with a goal of achieving natural results.
Table of Contents
Biostimulatory Fillers and Skin Boosters
PRP and PRFM
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections were the first regenerative aesthetic treatments to gain widespread popularity, utilizing a patient's own blood to kickstart tissue rejuvenation. PRP is performed by drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, which is then spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma and platelets from other blood components. The concentrated platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which is rich in growth factors, is isolated and used to induce new tissue growth and make the treated area healthier. For example, when PRP is injected into the skin it can spur new growth of collagen and elastin, helping to rejuvenate. We use PRP in our office to improve the skin, to treat hair thinning, to contour the breasts, and for vaginal rejuvenation.
PRFM (platelet-rich fibrin matrix) is very similar to PRP in its preparation with some key differences that allow a fibrin matrix (essentially a clot) to form once the material is injected under the skin. This provides a scaffold from which the concentrated growth factors are delivered more slowly, allowing for a more sustained growth signal. PRFM is thus superior to PRP, and when we are performing "PRP" procedures in the office we are really performing PRFM.
Exosomes
Exosome therapy has emerged as the best of the naturally derived injectable products in the field of Regenerative Aesthetics. Exosomes are small vesicles (tiny sacks) filled with growth factors, other proteins, and RNA that are secreted by all cell types. In aesthetics we use exosomes because of the high concentration of growth factors and anti-inflammatory proteins that they contain.
Exosomes can be used anywhere PRP is used, but they can offer the added advantage of having more abundant and optimized growth factors as compared to PRP, as well as superior anti-inflammatory properties. The amount of growth factors we have circulating in our blood, and their potential for tissue rejuvenation, declines significantly with age. Our growth factors are at their best the day we are born, and by the time we are in our 30's or older their is a significant decrease in the potential benefits from PRP. With exosomes that are derived from cell lines in a lab, we know that we have optimized growth factors in the product for aesthetic applications.
At The Dermatology and Laser Group, after years of testing various exosome products, we determined that the exosome solutions from AnteAGE that are derived from a cell culture of combined bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) and Wharton's Jelly (Umbilical Stem Cells) is the best source of exosomes for aesthetic applications.
Biostimulatory Fillers and Skin Boosters
Biostimulatory Fillers and Skin Boosters are commercially available FDA-cleared products that can be injected in the skin to boost natural production of collagen. They can be used anywhere on the body to improve skin texture and firmness, smooth the skin and improve wrinkles, and contour the face and body.
Unlike traditional fillers that are mainly used to add volume, biostimulatory fillers such as hyperdilute Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) and Sculptra (poly-l-lactic acid) work by stimulating the body's collagen generation pathways. These fillers create a mild controlled inflammatory response that causes fibroblast cells in the body to produce collagen. We love hyperdilute Radiesse to tighten, firm, and lift the face, neck, and body, and Sculptra for deeper contouring and lifting in the buttock.
Skin boosters, such as Skinvive, are hyaluronic acid products that are injected superficially in the skin to smooth the skin, add elasticity, and skin hydration without adding volume.
Regenerative Devices
All skin rejuvenation devices work by triggering natural body responses to produce collagen. Some of our favorite devices are able to produce collagen and elastin in the ratio and morphology that is found naturally in skin. We refer to these as our Regenerative Aesthetic Devices. These devices include radiofrequency procedures such as TempSure, medical microneedling, the PicoWay Resolve laser, and ThermiVa Vaginal Rejuvenation. These devices tend to be gentler devices utilizing much less heat to trigger the skin rejuvenation pathway, leading to beautiful and youthful skin rejuvenation.
Imagine a body's wound healing response to two different types of injuries: how the body responds to a paper cut versus how it responds to a burn from the oven. The paper cut will heal quickly, repaired perfectly with skin that is just like your normal skin in appearance and composition. The burn from the oven, if significant, may heal with collagen that is too robust and overly organized, creating a shiny and glassy scar. The Regenerative Aesthetic Devices we use in the office use less heat and produce collagen and elastin that is the same as normal skin.
We also have regenerative devices that build natural muscle. Emface is a great face rejuvenation device that builds muscle tone in the face, as well as collagen and elastin in the skin. We use Emsculpt NEO in NYC to build muscle in the butt, abdomen, love handles, thighs, arms, and legs.
Arash Akhavan, MD is founder and owner of The Dermatology and Laser Group, one of the top centers for cosmetic procedures in New York City for over a decade. Arash Akhavan, MD, FAAD is a Board Certified Dermatologist and an Associate Professor at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Akhavan is a Castle Connolly Top Doc, New York Magazine Best Doctor, and Super Doctor featured in The New York Times. Dr. Akhavan is a key opinion leader that has been featured on hundreds of media publications including The New York Times, Allure, Marie Claire, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, ABC News, Fox News, Fox 5, NY1, WPIX, and more. He has been featured on nationally syndicated television programs such as The Doctors.
Dr. Akhavan serves as an educator and lecturer for multiple aesthetic device and injectable companies. This allows his office access to newer technologies at an earlier date than other offices, as well as a higher level of expertise in the use of these devices. This, in turn, translates to more effective and safer treatments for our patients.