Looking Younger vs Better Skin: Where Skin Boosters, Lasers and Skincare Really Fit

By Dr Naomi Mackle, Dermatology Specialist and Medical Director, Adare Dermatology Clinics

Skin boosters, exosomes and "salmon DNA" are being promoted everywhere at the moment, often as the answer to ageing skin. At Adare Dermatology Clinics we offer skin boosters and we think they have a place. But we also see many patients who have spent a lot on injectables and are disappointed that their skin itself has not changed. This article explains why, and what genuinely improves skin quality.

Looking younger is not the same as having better skin

Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers are excellent treatments when done well. Anti-wrinkle injections relax the muscles that cause expression lines, and fillers restore volume that has been lost with age. Both can make you look fresher and younger.

What they do not do is change the quality of the skin itself: its texture, tone, pores, redness, pigmentation, sun damage or crepiness. Someone can have smooth, well-supported features and still have dull, uneven, sun-damaged skin. Improving skin quality needs a different approach.

Skin quality starts at home

Before any treatment in clinic, the foundation is good, evidence-based skincare used consistently:

• Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen: the single most important step. Most visible skin ageing is caused by the sun.
• Vitamin C (20% L-ascorbic acid): an antioxidant that helps protect against sun and pollution damage, brightens tone and supports collagen.
• Retinol and other retinoids: vitamin A derivatives with decades of evidence for fine lines, texture and pigmentation.
• Barrier support: a healthy skin barrier keeps skin hydrated, calm and better able to tolerate active ingredients and in-clinic treatments.

No treatment in clinic will give its best result on skin that is unprotected from the sun or has a damaged barrier.

Skin boosters: what they can and cannot do

"Skin boosters" is a broad term for injectable treatments placed in the skin to improve hydration and quality, rather than to add volume. They include:

• Hyaluronic acid boosters such as Profhilo: spread through the skin to improve hydration and give a subtle "bounce".
• Jalupro: hyaluronic acid combined with amino acids, the building blocks of collagen, which we offer at ADC.
• Polynucleotides and PDRN ("salmon DNA"): DNA fragments thought to support repair and collagen production.
• Exosomes: cell signalling particles, usually applied after microneedling or laser rather than injected.

The honest picture is that skin boosters give genuine but subtle improvements in hydration, glow, fine lines and crepey skin, particularly under the eyes and on the neck. Most of the published studies are small and short, and many are funded by manufacturers. Exosome products in particular vary widely and are not yet well studied. Skin boosters do not lift or tighten skin, and they cannot match the results of established laser and energy-based treatments.

Is Jalupro better than other skin boosters? In theory, adding amino acids gives the skin raw materials to build collagen, on top of the hydration from hyaluronic acid, and this may give it an edge. However, there are no good head-to-head studies comparing Jalupro with other skin boosters, so we cannot say it is proven to be superior. We offer it because the ingredients are well understood and it is a gentle, low-downtime option for people who want subtle improvement.

Treatments that genuinely remodel the skin

For real, measurable change in skin quality, the treatments with the strongest evidence and longest track record are laser and energy-based devices. At Adare Dermatology Clinics, we use:

These treatments have been used and studied for many years. They work by stimulating the skin to repair and rebuild itself, which is why they improve skin quality in a way injectables cannot. Most involve some downtime, and the right choice depends on your skin type, concerns and lifestyle.

Who are skin boosters right for?

Skin boosters definitely have a place. They suit people who:

• want a subtle improvement in hydration, glow and fine lines;
• cannot have, or do not want, downtime from laser or energy-based treatment;
• have early crepiness on the neck or under the eyes;
• want to maintain results between other treatments.

They are less suitable if your main concerns are sun damage, pigmentation, redness, scarring or loose skin. In those cases, a laser or energy-based treatment will usually give a far better result for your money.

How we build a skin plan at ADC

1. Assess your skin, its type, concerns and history, at a consultation.
2. Build the foundation with sunscreen, vitamin C, a retinoid and barrier support.
3. Choose the right in-clinic treatment for your main concern, whether that is laser, IPL, radiofrequency microneedling or microneedling.
4. Add skin boosters, anti-wrinkle injections or fillers where they genuinely add value.
5. Review your results and adjust the plan over time.

Summary

Anti-wrinkle injections and fillers can make you look younger, but they do not make your skin healthier. Skin boosters, including Profhilo, Jalupro and polynucleotides, offer subtle improvements and suit people who want little downtime, but the evidence is modest and they cannot be compared with established laser and energy-based treatments. Real improvement in skin quality starts with daily sun protection and good skincare, and is built on with treatments proven to remodel the skin.

REFORM products for your skin quality foundation

• REFORM Mineral SPF 30 and SPF Mist: oil-free daily protection, including a mist with no white cast for easy reapplication.
• REFORM nightly retinoid: gentle retinyl palmitate, suitable for the face, eyes and neck.
• REFORM Intensive Moisturiser with Vitamin B5 Gel: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and panthenol to support a healthy barrier, including before and after in-clinic treatments.

Transparency: REFORM Skincare was founded by Dr Naomi Mackle and is the in-house range of Adare Dermatology Clinics. Recommendations are always made on clinical need.

Want to improve your skin quality? Book a skin consultation at Adare Dermatology Clinics in Dublin, Limerick or London, and we will recommend the right combination of skincare and treatment for you.

Related reading: PDRN, Polynucleotides and Exosomes; Exosomes for Facial Rejuvenation. Related treatments: Secret RF, CO2 laser, Limelight IPL and skin boosters at Adare Dermatology Clinics.

This article is for general information and does not replace a consultation.