Shape Singapore – August 2019

WHAT “I think of stem cell therapy

as PRP on steroids,” says Dr.

Goldenberg. “Stem cells from an

umbilical cord are the youngest

source you can fi nd. And at that

point of infancy, the stem cells have

not become specialised, as they are

in an adult. So wherever you inject

them, in theory, they take on the

job that needs to be done there, like

If your desire is to look good for your age, this

movement is great news. “We’ve always known the

body has the power to heal itself, and these new

treatments harness that power,” says Gary Goldenberg,

a dermatologist in New York. Topical skin care can also

encourage your skin to work better. Keep reading for

more on these promising treatments and products,

with one caveat: Some of these newer treatments don’t

have the data to prove their claims. “In theory, these

regenerative strategies make sense, but the evidence

of their eŠ cacy is still primarily anecdotal,” says Neal

Schultz, a dermatologist in New York.

Microneedling

HOW Once the skin is numbed to minimise discomfort,

a doctor creates tiny punctures in the skin using a

handheld pen, roller, or stamp.

WHAT “All those punctures cause your skin to create

its own growth factors and to stimulate certain cells

to increase collagen production,”

Dr. Nussbaum says. After three to fi ve

sessions spaced about a month apart,

your skin should look plumper, which

minimises irregular texture and fi ne

lines. Expect skin to be pink for two to

three days after each treatment.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

HOW After a numbing cream takes eŽ ect, the doctor

draws a sample of your blood, places it in a centrifuge

to separate the platelets from the rest of your blood,

then injects those platelets into your face.

WHAT “Platelets are cell fragments in the blood

whose main role in the body is to go to the site of an

injury and stop the bleeding there. But since they are

fi rst responders at any wound, platelets also contain

growth factors, which they release at the wound site,

stimulating the tissue in that area to heal itself,” says

Kenneth Howe, a cosmetic dermatologist in New York

City. “Those growth factors are what make PRP so

valuable.” PRP may be used on its own to rejuvenate

aging skin (if you do that, expect mild facial redness for

two days), but it’s also commonly combined with other

treatments – like microneedling, fi llers, or lasers – to

accelerate healing time and boost their benefi ts. For

instance, “While a Fraxel laser treatment on its own is a

highly eŽ ective treatment for skin aging, add PRP and

the result is greatly amplifi ed,” Dr. Howe says.

Stem cell injections

HOW Similar to the way PRP is done, donor stem cells

(typically human stem cells from an infant’s umbilical

cord) are injected into the designated treatment area.

REPLENISHING RETINOL
Drunk Elephant A-
Passioni Retinol Cream
(drunkelephant.com).

SUPERFOOD SERUM

OMI Skin Nutrition

Renew Serum

(ominutrition.com).

growing hair on the scalp or producing more collagen

in the face,” he says. Dr. Howe does not oŽ er stem cell

therapy, but he supports this hypothesis. These stem

cells are pluripotent, he says, which means they’re

capable of developing into a variety of cell types,

including cells that produce collagen and perform other

structural functions in the skin. “It’s exciting, but these

stem cell treatments come from a donor, which means

that even if the cells are extensively tested for infection,

there are still unknowns,” Dr. Howe says.

When skin cells run more

efficiently, your complexion

looks brighter and clearer.

At-home skin care

The products you put on your face can also help skin

cells work better. OMI Skin Nutrition was developed to

prompt your skin cells to be more eŠ cient (that is, act

like younger skin cells). The products contain active

ingredients (like resveratrol and green tea) that support

a process called autophagy (self-eating), in which

cells clean out and recycle their waste to maximise

productivity. OMI founder Naomi Whittel describes this

process as akin to “cleaning your kitchen after a meal

so that the next time you cook, everything is ready to

go.” Aging, pollution, poor diet, and skin-care habits

can all compromise this natural cleaning process. And if

a cell isn’t properly cleaned out, it slows down or quits

altogether.

Peptides and retinoids, both long known to help

support skin cells’ collagen production, are enjoying

a resurgence in popularity, thanks to the regenerative

trend. “We’ve known for more than 25 years that

retinoids can do this,” Dr. Schultz says. What’s new,

however, is that now some retinoid formulas have

been deliberately designed to work without irritation

(sensitivity from a retinoid is the most common

complaint) – formulas are laced with skin-

comforting ingredients like apricot, marula, jojoba,

and passion fruit oils.

SHAPE AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 | LOOK GREAT | 89