Non-surgical Facial Rejuvenation Techniques – 3
FIBROBLAST CELL CULTURE
The production of proteins such as Collagen and Elastin, which provide elasticity and vitality of the skin, naturally decreases over the years. As a result of the decrease in production, wrinkles, sagging, spots in skin color and loss of gloss occur on the skin. We call these signs “aged skin”. In a sense, aging is the gradual disappearance process of healthy, fresh and vibrant appearance of our skin after 20 years of age. According to many serious academic studies, aging or old age is now seen as a “preventable disease”. The first and most important feature sought in a technique that will be preferred for the removal or prevention of the aging symptoms is an application that promises improvement and benefit that will be achieved causing the least damage to the patient, as well as permanence. Rejuvenation with cell (fibroblast) culture is the name of one of these procedures. It has been used for aesthetic purposes since 2002. It is an FDA approved application.
For years, we have tried to cope with these old age signs using temporary methods or lying under anesthesia in exchange for paying big risks. Due to today’s developing technology and with the help of the new methods and techniques developed by tissue engineers, permanent and effective solutions have been delivered for the aging problem in our skin (especially our face skin). The cell (fibroblast) culture transplantation technique, which replaces the tissue loss, so to say, the skeleton system in the skin and whose effect continues even after 4-5 years, has been increasingly applied in clinics in recent years. This technique, which stops the signs of aging in our faces and even rewinds the time, is a cell therapy obtained from your own cells. In other words, the cells obtained from you will be used for you. While the cells used in PRP, another similar method used in rejuvenation, are blood cells (platelets) obtained from the patient’s own blood, the cells used in this technique are fibroblasts obtained from the skin, instead of blood.
What is rejuvenation with fibroblast cell culture? It is a technique of reproducing the “Fibroblast” cells obtained from the patient by a lentil-size biopsy in an improved safe laboratory environment and applying these new cells to the patient in 3 sessions for treatment purposes.
What is the function of fibroblast cells in the skin regeneration? Fibroblasts are the basic cells of the collagen tissue that gives our skin volume and endurance. They are responsible for the production of collagen, which is the main substance of collagen tissue and provides wound healing. In addition to collagen protein, these cells are also responsible for the production of elastic fibers and hyaluronic acid. Fibroblasts are cells that produce the fibers in the tissue. These cells are responsible for the elasticity and vitality of the skin.
How is it applied? Tissue biopsy involving the fibroblast cell is taken from the back of the ear which is the least sun-exposed area in our body or rarely from the inner surface of the forearm with local anesthesia. The back of the ear is a more preferred area since it is hairless and in order not to leave any scar in the treatment area.
The area where the biopsy is taken is easily closed using tissue adhesive or single suture. The biopsy taken is sent to specialized laboratories under appropriate conditions and environment. The cell reproduction process is done in laboratory conditions and completed in 4 weeks.
The reproduced cells are applied in 3 sessions with an interval of 4-6 weeks. During each application, the 20-40 million fibroblasts are given to the patient’s desired area with an insulin injector. When the procedure is completed, approximately 100-120 million fibroblast cells are been given to the patient. With this amount, the desired improvement, volume and recovery are achieved.
What are the advantages of this application? Because the cells taken from you will be applied to you again, the material used will not contain any foreign matter, and no allergic reaction will be observed. It is a natural, an easy-to-apply and a time-saving method with a long-lasting effect. The most important advantage of the application is the creation of a strong synergy effect for refreshment and wrinkle removal by using a combination of both cell regeneration (qualitative effect) and filling effect (filling, quantitative effect) on tissues.
Where and for what problems is it used? It is used for the following:
Removal and treatment of wrinkles and deep grooves (as the face, neck, cleavage area, hand back rejuvenation and filling),
Facial rejuvenation with Mesotherapy,
Filling and removal of apparent and collapsed surgery traces,
Correction of residual minimal complications associated with tissue and contour following a surgical procedure on the face,
Genital region rejuvenation,
Treatment of non-healing wounds,
To close diabetic foot injuries,
To support healing in burn injury treatment,
Removal of traces of depth or pit like acne and chickenpox,
To stop hair loss, to wash away limp hair and to trigger new hair growth.
In what circumstances is it not used? It is not applied to pregnant women because there is no study on pregnant women. However, it can be used in cancer patients under treatment.
When can you see the effect? The effect and healing begin to appear on the skin as fullness and brightness a few weeks after the first application. However, the complete emergence of the results will increasingly continue for months following the treatment.
What are the features that distinguish this method from other skin refresh options? The most privileged and advantageous aspect of this method is its long-term effect. Since the cells taken from you will be reproduced and applied to you, it can be applied in all patient groups except pregnant women. This technique is a refreshing method that accompanies a filling applied to your skin. The application will save you from the gradually-deepening wrinkles in your skin and from scars of acne from your puberty. Besides being natural, lasting and an easy technique, one of its most obvious advantages is that it does not make you more sensitive to sunspots.
With this technique, your skin will easily have refreshing and tension as well as filling effect. Let us remind you that this filling effect is permanent, depending particularly on the area it is applied, for example, on the lips, cheekbones, or at the chin, and changes your contour, image and profile.
Considering these excess and lasting advantages, in a sense, we can easily and confidently say that this application is an outstanding treatment option since it is a method of repositioning the brick-like building blocks that have been lost in your face panel.