What is injectable skin biostimulation?
Cutaneous biostimulation involves the intradermal-subcutaneous injection of pharmacological substances that stimulate tissue regeneration: thanks to their action, the skin becomes more hydrated, cells renew more quickly, and the production of collagen and elastin increases.
The main indications for this therapy are dehydration, aging, and photoaging. Normally, biostimulation is included in a skin management program established after a dermocosmetological check-up according to Bartoletti and Ramette, which includes the at-home application of specific cosmetics, the possible use of ambulatory chemical peels (which further stimulate cellular renewal), and the potential use of fillers.
The results that can be achieved depend a lot on individual response, and their duration varies depending on the severity of the starting situation and lifestyle factors (for example, avoiding sun exposure and consistently using sun protection can increase the effectiveness of the treatment over time). In any case, biostimulation, like all cyclic treatments, should be continued with monthly maintenance sessions after a cycle of close sessions.
Even if there are no episodes of allergy in the clinical history, in rare cases, a reaction to the injected substance can occur; furthermore, this treatment is contraindicated in individuals with coagulation disorders and certain conditions such as autoimmune diseases.
The most commonly used active ingredients for biostimulation, either alone or combined, include:
- Hyaluronic acid: Hydrates the skin, has free radical scavenging activity, improves the cohesion of the superficial skin layer, and its metabolism;
- Polydioxyribonucleotides: These are chains of fractions of nucleic acids, DNA, which are the foundation of all the body's activities. They have the property of increasing the functional capacity of fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen and elastin, substances present in youthful skin that change in quantity and quality over time;
- Amino acids that are precursors of collagen: Collagen is the most common structural protein in the body; essential amino acids that constitute it, when injected into the dermis, stimulate its local production. This helps counteract the decrease in collagen that would lead to skin sagging over time.
Generally, it takes about 20 minutes to perform biostimulation, but there can be some variability. The level of pain experienced depends on individual sensitivity and the treated areas, and it is usually very tolerable. After the therapy, there may be some erythema (redness), mild and transient swelling (which typically resolves in about 30 minutes), and slight bleeding. Small bruises may also appear but will spontaneously disappear within a few days. In the days following biostimulation, sun exposure or UV lamps should be avoided, and sunscreen should always be applied. In the days immediately before and after the treatment, all procedures that could irritate the skin in any way should be avoided (waxing, electrolysis, exfoliating masks, laser hair removal, etc.).