Enclosed is some interesting information from a well known American dermatologist.
For the last decade fads and bogus claims have promised to remove or reduce stretch marks, wrinkled skin, scars, and cellulite without actual proof. These money-making schemes have brought riches to some entrepreneurs and little pleasure to patients who have opted to have a variety of creams, potions, and treatments applied to their faces, bodies, and especially thighs. At last the wait may now be over as effective treatments have been elucidated to improve and in some cases resolve these age-old cosmetic concerns.

Pioneering research from the University of Michigan Department Of Dermatology has revealed some of the answers to questions of how to regenerate skin. While more research needs to be done, their work conclusively demonstrates that old or damaged skin has frayed collagen fibers which do not stimulate fibroblasts (the cells that produce collagen) to do their jobs efficiently.

In fact, just the opposite. The frayed fibers somehow induce the fibroblasts to curl up and produce collagenase which further dissolves the good collagen that exists. The therapeutic pearl of their work demonstrates that fibroblasts can be made to stretch out and again produce normal collagen, even if they are old in age or worn out by injury. The only caveat is that the fibroblasts must still be present in the affected tissue.

First described in Europe and now elucidated at the U of Michigan, injected hyaluronic acid (aka Restylane and Juvaderm) has been repeatedly shown to stretch fibroblasts and thereby induce them to produce new collagen. Therefore, the rejuvenating effects of injected hyaluronic acid fillers are not only due to their volume but also to new collagen production.

Saline was also tested for its stretching abilities at the U of Michigan and it was found to be less effective than hyaluronic acid. Nevertheless, work by Dr Mitchell Goldman and repeated by me at MetropolitanMD, has repeatedly demonstrated scar remodeling when used to stretch scars in which there has been a loss of tissue volume. And for the coup de gras, further work showed that injury to the epidermis, the outer 1 millimeter of skin, sends a message to the dermis, the bulk of the skin, to stimulate fibroblasts to make new collagen. Now we understand a mechanism for the healing effects of ablative fractional laser therapy.

The bottom line is that lasers that produce a fractionated effect on the dermis such as the Dermaxel fractional, and the Airgent when used in conjunction with hyaluronic acid injections can help improve skin texture.

Photo rejuvenation with any or all of our lasers (aura laser, revlite laser, isolaz, plasma portrait, and fractional laser) works in synergy to produce the best results.

We often also combine the lasers with other cosmetic procedures for rejuvenation such as fillers, muscle relaxant injections, suture lift, and other cosmetic surgery. Liposuculpture can help shape the face around the neck and jowls but rejuvenation tightens the skin. After a suture lift the best and longest results occur if rejuvenation therapy strats to help tighten the collagen whilst  the skin is lifted.

A number of our beauty cosmetic procedures in our Med Day Spa such as microdermabrasion, airgent, and peels often also complement laser rejuvenation.

It works because the laser light passes through the skin until it hits its target which is the blood in the vessels for the aura laser and the water in the deep dermis for the other lasers.

The laser delivers energy into the deep dermis where the fibroblasts (which make collagen) live creating heat.

This heat tricks the fibroblasts into making new collagen.

The process of new collagen formation takes 6-8weeks and then it crosslinks with the elastin over months.

This is why we say the improvement takes a few months to occur and continues to improve for 6-12mths.

Each time creates a difference but multiple cosmetic procedures for laser rejuvenation usually approx 1mth apart are needed.

There is risk of crust or scab with the laser rejuvenation especially if tan or fake tan or sunscreen or makeup on so come in with clean face and avoid sun.

We recommend 4-6 laser rejuvenation cosmetic procedures and over the years as we cont to age some maintenance laser rejuvenation cosmetic procedures as well.

Mid face filler and cheek bone enhancement are the new breakthrough in cosmetic procedures and rejuvenation.

As we age we often lose our mid face malar fat pad and so as our rounded cheek recede our skin hangs.

Of course sun exposure and smoking also contribute to this loosening of the skin as well as genetic factors leading to hollowing of the cheeks , jowls, and nasolabial folds.

Some of us also find the skin falling to the chin causing marionette lines and depressions.

So volumising the face with our thicker fillers especially to the mid face giving us back those rounded cheeks of our youth often accompanied with filler to enhance the cheek bones  rejuvenates the face and gives back that younger look.

We often combine this rejuvenation with filler with other rejuvenation cosmetic procedures such as laser or suture lift or neck liposuction.