Rejuvenate, Refresh, Renew : The science behind Regeneration

In the ever-evolving field of aesthetics, Miss Ali is pioneering the use of regenerative tissues in her aesthetic practice and has coined the term ‘regenerative aesthetics’. The treatments are subtle, sparing and carried out in serial fashion but are as revolutionary as they are natural. They are the ultimate in recycling excess or unwanted tissues to revitalise old or absent tissues and aim to promote tissue wellbeing and enhance beauty. These treatments offer effective alternatives to traditional procedures by harnessing the body's own renewal and healing mechanisms to stimulate tissue regeneration and combat signs of ageing.

Rozina is a multi-award winning surgeon and a pioneer of regenerative aesthetics, here she discusses the science underpinning this fusion of science and artistry and outlines the range of regenerative aesthetic treatments she offers and their unique benefits and outcomes.

There are numerous benefits to regenerative aesthetic treatments, not least the fact that by stimulating the patient’s own tissue growth mechanisms the results are more natural looking compared to artificial implants or fillers. These treatments are naturally versatile and can be effective on many areas of the body; be it face, scalp or breasts. The technologies are minimally invasive, resulting in less discomfort for patients and shorter recovery times.

Regenerative aesthetics uses a variety of techniques or products to stimulate the body’s own natural responses to reverse ageing or repair damaged tissue. Unlike traditional cosmetic procedures, which involve working with the tissues you have to tighten, alter or remove tissue; regenerative techniques enhance natural tissues at the cellular and histological level.

Central to regenerative aesthetics are stem cells. These are the body's ‘pluripotential’ master cells which have the ability to be signalled to transform into other cell types. In my aesthetic treatments, I work with mesenchymal cells. These have an incredible healing ability and can differentiate into a variety of tissue types, including bone, fat, cartilage, collagen and fat.

Aesthetic practice is now tapping into this wonder of the human body, by harvesting these cells from the fat or adipose tissue, the richest source of adult mesenchymal cells. The stem cells associated around the tiny blood vessels that serve fat cells, are collected, concentrated and injected into targeted areas, where they can be used to promote tissue regeneration, improve skin quality and enhance volume.

Fat transfer

A procedure delivering excellent results and natural enhancement for my patients is autologous fat transfer. Also known as lipofilling and microfat grafting, this is a minimally invasive procedure that harvests the patient's own fat tissue to restore or enhance volume and contour to the face, breasts, or buttocks. During the procedure, fat tissue is taken from areas of excess such as the abdomen, love handles, flanks or thighs using procedures similar to liposuction. This fat is then washed and filtered to isolate healthy fat cells, which are then injected through a blunt cannula into the target area to sculpt contours and enhance volume.

The beauty of fat transfer is you are able to have serial treatments to enable you to increase breast size slowly and naturally over the course of several years. It’s just a wonderful way of achieving the figure you want with the minimal amount of scars and no silicone or implants are required.

Polynucleotides

We now turn our attention to Polynucleotides contained in products such as Ameela®, where salmon DNA is injected into targeted areas to enhance the subcutaneous layer (salmon DNA is used as it closely resembles that of humans) These molecules offer various advantages when used in aesthetic procedures. They stimulate cellular activity, including fibroblasts, which are responsible for producing collagen, a crucial protein for skin elasticity and firmness. They can also help the body heal wounds and improve the appearance and overall health of the skin. When polynucleotide products such as Ameela are injected into the skin, it triggers a significant transformation by kickstarting the healing process within cells and shielding the skin from harm caused by free radicals. It alters various cell types like fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes, as well as other tissue components. This change results in fibroblasts turning into myofibroblasts, which is a crucial stage in revitalizing the skin. As a result, you can see noticeable improvements within minutes, providing an instant lift and improved skin structure.

Exosomes

Exosomes are gaining attention for their potential to enhance the intra-cellular environment and stimulate tissue regeneration. Exosomes are outpouchings or bubbles of the cell walls, called extracellular vesicles, which are released by all types of cells in the body; think of them like mobile repair kits that can be targeted to specific areas of the body to promote healing.

A great example of this is Exo|E, a revolutionary plant-based exosome that mimics the skin’s natural function. This product is proven to increase the expression of collagen production by 165%, increase the secretion of hyaluronic acid by 198%, increase the expression of elastin production by 891% and reduce inflammation by 61% all helping to support the skin’s revitalising process. Another fantastic product is E-50 EXOSOMES, where the Exosomes are collected from salmon testes (yes you read that correctly). Salmon cells are used as they ensure low levels of free radicals and impurities. This product is proven to be powerful in stimulating skin regeneration, hair growth and reducing inflammation in the skin.

Microneedling

Finally, I am also a huge advocate of microneedling treatment, where a medical device containing fine needles is used to rapidly create tiny punctures or micro-injuries in the skin. This stimulates skin cells deep in the dermis to regenerate and repair the overlying skin, resulting in smoother, brighter, younger and healthier looking skin. It can be used as a key treatment in rejuvenating skin with acne scars (pock marked), sun-damaged and ageing skin, facial, neck and décolleté lines and wrinkles.

The great news is many of these treatments can be used in conjunction. For example, the complementary combined use of exosomes and polynucleotides in conjunction with microneedling can make the skin histologically and measurable younger, whether to improve skin quality or mitigate effects of sun damage

The body really does have a remarkable capacity to heal and regenerate and aesthetic medicine is finding increasingly innovative ways to tap into these natural processes. At my practice, we are at the cutting edge of this exciting movement, delivering effective and innovative treatments that promote tissue regeneration, enhance appearance and optimise wellbeing for the benefit of all my patients. We call it Luxury Wellness.