Regenerative Treatments Through Time

When you think about anti-aging treatments, your mind goes to things like creams, serums, pharmaceuticals and surgical procedures. However, the world of anti-aging treatments is constantly evolving. These days, anti-aging treatments are starting to leverage the progress seen in regenerative medicine. 

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Regenerative anti-aging treatments use a patient's own cells or tissues to promote tissue regrowth and rejuvenation. Regenerative treatments are becoming more popular with Hollywood celebrities leveraging them to maintain a youthful appearance. 

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Check out the timeline of regenerative treatments below 

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1869 - First ever skin graft 

The first ever autologous skin graft was performed by Jacques-Louis Reverdin. He then went on to perfect this treatment to treat burn wounds, ulcers, and other open wounds

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1893 - Fat grafts 

Fat grafts involve transferring a patient's adipose tissue from one area of the body to the face in order to restore the loss of fullness. This procedure was first performed in 1893 to correct scarring around the eye formed from a previous eye infection. 

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1955 - Nasal bone grafts 

In the 1950s Dr. Edgar Holmes used bone derived from the patients pelvis to correct any issues with the patients nose. 

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1990s - Laser therapy 

Photorejuvenation leveraged lasers to prompt the skin to heal itself and boost cell regeneration to reverse the signs of aging. 

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1995 - Microneedling 

Also known as collagen induction therapy, this procedure involves repeatedly puncturing the skin to stimulate the wound repair response, in turn boosting cell regeneration. 

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Early 2000's - Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

‍‍Also known as the vampire facial made widely popular by Kim Kardashian. The procedure involves drawing blood from your arm, placing the blood in a machine that separates the platelets from the rest of your blood, then reinjecting just the platelets into areas of concern. Though it has only recently been used in aesthetics, PRP has been used in regenerative medicine since the 1980s to treat various health conditions. In 2006, it was leverage to promote hair growth. Since 2010 it has been used for cosmetic dermatology and shown to improve hydration, flexibility, and tone of skin. 

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2020 - Exosomes ‍

Exosomes are cell derived nanoscale vesicles that carry important information (genes/proteins/carbohydrates/lipids/nucleic acids) between cells, essentially function as a route of communication between cells. They can also modulate essential cellular processes like proliferation, differentiation, and migration. 

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As we age our skin loses the ability to maintain collagen synthesis and to repair damaged cells. Exosomes facilitate the exchange of RNA and proteins like keratin, fibroblasts, and immune cells between cells.

By applying exosomes directly to the tissue, we bypass the long cellular division process and skip straight to the replenishment and regeneration of the treatment area. Thus younger looking, more vibrant and healthy skin tissue is formed and regenerated!

In the near future, we’ll be able to use exosomes to treat dryness, get better skin hydration, improve tissue health at a cellular level, visibly decrease fine lines, wrinkles and age spots, and a reduction in redness and irritation

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2021 - MSCs 

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were first isolated and cultured in 1968. MSCs are like embryonic stem cells, however they have limited self-renewal and differentiation capabilities. MSCs can differentiate into bone, cartilage, muscle, and fat cells. 

MSCs can be derived from adipose tissue, bone marrow, amniotic membrane, and even the hair follicle. 

Recent research has shown that reintroduction of these cells are efficient at boosting skin regeneration through re-epithelization and secretion of growth factors. 

Researchers observed an increase in elastic collagen synthesis, hair regeneration, and elastin synthesis when treated with MSCs.

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2022 & Beyond

There’s a revolution happening in aesthetic medicine. We’ll be using our own younger cells to reverse the signs of aging. And this isn’t a far distant future, we’re already seeing scientists leveraging patients' own cells to treat wrinkles and fine lines. 

But these treatments will only be as powerful as the cells that are used.

As we age, so do our cells, and over time they lose their regenerative potential. When it comes to regenerative treatments, younger cells can provide younger results.

Preserving your cells ahead of the effects of aging is the only way to prepare for the future of regenerative treatments. 

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