Skin biostimulators can encourage your natural production of collagen. Our facial aesthetics team at Church Street Dental Practice offers a range of these treatments to hydrate your skin and support its natural regeneration and repair. They can also improve the appearance of sagging skin, gradually restoring a firmer, more even texture.
What are skin biostimulators?
Skin biostimulators are a form of injectable skin treatment, distinct from conventional dermal fillers. Unlike other dermal fillers which simply restore lost volume, skin biostimulators are designed to trigger collagen production, regenerating the skin and giving you long-lasting results. At our practice in Houghton-le-Spring, we offer two main types of biostimulators, Plinest (polynucleotides) and Radiesse (CaHa).
Polynucleotide treatment
Polynucleotide treatment, like other skin biostimulators, works with the natural processes of your body. You might have heard this treatment referred to as a ‘salmon sperm facial’, as polynucleotides are tiny fragments of DNA that have been extracted from the sperm of a salmon. Polynucleotides stimulate fibroblast cells, which produce collagen and elastin. When we inject them into your skin, they’ll trigger your skin’s healing response, helping to improve its overall quality.
We use polynucleotides on your hair, body and face, including under the eyes. However, polynucleotide treatment under your eyes is different to tear trough dermal fillers, which we also offer, as polynucleotides stimulate the skin to produce collagen, whereas tear trough fillers replace lost volume to the skin under your eyes.
CaHa
CaHa consists of tiny particles of synthetically made calcium hydroxylapatite, a mineral naturally found in tooth enamel, with a watery gel base. CaHa works through both immediately adding volume to your skin when we inject it, and working over a period of months by providing additional structure for your skin to produce more collagen and elastin. We usually use CaHa treatment on the face, neck and décolleté (the shoulders, collarbones and upper chest).
What do polynucleotides treat?
Polynucleotides can be used to reduce imperfections and improve the appearance of your skin and hair. The main ways we use polynucleotides include:
Small wrinkles and lines
Polynucleotides can be used to smooth small wrinkles and lines, especially around your eyes (the tear trough area). Here, they work differently to tear trough dermal filler: rather than adding volume, they stimulate your skin to produce its own collagen, gradually improving skin quality in this delicate area.
Scarring
Scars and blemishes, including those left by acne, often respond well to polynucleotide treatment, which stimulates collagen production to smooth uneven texture. It can also help even out skin tone where this feels uneven.
Dark circles under your eyes
Tiredness and stress can make the circles under your eyes appear darker over time. By stimulating collagen production in this delicate area, polynucleotides can gradually soften their appearance.
Sagging skin
Sagging skin is one of the most common concerns polynucleotides address, encouraging your skin to produce its own collagen rather than adding artificial volume, so it appears firmer over time.
Hair thinning
Polynucleotide treatment can be used to help support hair growth by nourishing hair follicles, especially treatments such as Plinest Hair.
What can CaHa be used to treat?
Like polynucleotides, CaHa is used to stimulate natural collagen production in your skin, often for slightly thicker facial wrinkles or skin elsewhere on your body, especially your hands. CaHa is thicker than other biostimulators, so we don’t tend to use it on thinner areas of skin such as tear troughs, lips or fine lines.
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Wrinkles and folds on your face
If you have wrinkles or folds on your face, CaHa can stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin so that your skin can become firmer and the lines can reduce.
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Sagging skin on your lower face
For sagging skin on the lower face, neck and décolleté (your upper chest, collarbone and lower neck), CaHa helps restore firmness by stimulating collagen and elastin. Many patients also see an improvement in marionette lines around the chin as skin in this area becomes less lax.
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Loss of volume on the back of your hands
As you age, the skin on your hands can lose volume and become thinner and less elastic. CaHa helps to stimulate the production of collagen on the back of your hands, keeping your skin looking firmer.
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Skin texture imperfections
In a diluted form, we can use CaHa biostimulators to treat imperfections in your skin such as areas of uneven texture, around your lower face, neck and décolleté, but also around the body.
How biostimulator treatment works
Consultation and treatment planning
At your initial consultation, you’ll see our facial aesthetician, Dr Chloe Aucott. We’ll assess the condition of your skin, discuss your medical history and talk about your goals for treatment. We’ll then put together a treatment plan based on the specific areas of skin you would like treated and the right biostimulators for your treatment, then map out the injection sites for your next appointment.
Preparation
At your appointment, we’ll clean the area where the biostimulators will be injected. Sometimes, we may need to also apply a local anaesthetic or a topical cream to reduce any discomfort during your procedure.
Biostimulator injections
We’ll use a fine needle to place the biostimulator deep into your skin, an area known as the subcutaneous layer. Our facial aesthetician, Chloe, will use specific patterns such as threads, fanning or grids to make sure that the product is distributed evenly, minimising any imperfections such as lumps. The process takes around 30-45 minutes.
Aftercare
You won’t need much recovery time for your skin biostimulator treatment, and you should be able to return to your daily activities almost immediately. However, for some products, we may advise you to massage the area you’ve had treated for a few minutes each day for a week. Avoid strenuous exercise, and try not to spend too much time in the sun, or in very hot areas such as hot tubs or steam rooms.
Results and follow-up
Unlike conventional dermal fillers and dynamic wrinkle treatment, the results of skin biostimulator treatment develop slowly, over two to six months. This is because it takes time for your body to generate new collagen and elastin. For the best results, we suggest having 2 to 3 sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart.
Skin biostimulators are often longer lasting than conventional dermal fillers: results from polynucleotides typically last 6 to 12 months, while CaHa results typically last 12 to 18 months, with some patients reporting results lasting longer.
Do biostimulators have any side effects?
The most common side effects to skin biostimulators are mild and should resolve within a few days to a week. They include swelling or puffiness, tenderness on or around the treated area, short-lived redness or bruising, itching or tight-feeling skin. Any discomfort can usually be treated with over the counter medication.
A few patients experience an uneven skin texture, stiffness or small lumps and bumps; these will usually resolve on their own, but please do contact us if you have any concerns.
In extremely rare cases, some patients may experience more severe symptoms. Please contact a medical provider as soon as possible if you notice the following:
- Severe or escalating pain
- Pale or blotchy patches on skin
- Skin that doesn’t return to its normal colour after you place pressure on it
- Swelling which spreads beyond the treated area
- Sudden vision changes
- Rashes or hives
- Difficulty breathing
These side effects are extremely uncommon, and for most patients both CaHa and polynucleotides can be an effective treatment for fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin and loss of volume, promoting your skin’s natural process for renewal and repair.
How much does skin biostimulator treatment cost in Houghton-le-Spring?
Prices for our skin biostimulator treatments start from £250, with more information available in our fees and finance section. We welcome patients from Houghton-le-Spring, Durham and across Tyne & Wear, and offer a range of affordable treatment plans and finance options for your peace of mind.
Find out if skin biostimulators are right for you
Chloe, our facial aesthetician, has years of experience in skin treatments, and offers consultations covering the full range of facial aesthetics, including dynamic wrinkle treatment, biostimulators and dermal fillers. Our caring, non-judgemental team will help you find the aesthetic treatment that works for you, with no obligation and no pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Why are polynucleotides called the salmon sperm facial?
Don’t worry – we don’t use literal salmon sperm! Polynucleotides are known as the salmon sperm facial because the products contain small extracts of DNA and RNA, usually taken from the sperm of a salmon. These extracts are similar enough to human DNA to be well tolerated by most patients.
Do polynucleotides really work?
Polynucleotides work by stimulating fibroblast cells in the skin, which are responsible for producing collagen and elastin. This triggers your skin’s natural healing response, gradually improving its structure and quality. Polynucleotides are a cosmetic treatment for fine wrinkles and lines, sagging skin, dark circles under your eyes (tear trough hollows), areas of rough texture and, in some cases, thinning hair. As they stimulate your skin’s natural production of elastin and collagen, results build gradually over several weeks rather than appearing immediately, and they can sometimes last longer than conventional dermal fillers.
Are skin biostimulators the same as dermal fillers?
No – conventional dermal fillers work through adding immediate volume with hyaluronic acid gel, whereas biostimulators promote the production of collagen and elastin through the body’s natural processes.
How long does skin biostimulator treatment last?
The results will vary depending on what product you use, your specific skin type and the area you are having treated. However, on average, polynucleotides usually last between 6 to 12 months, while CaHa treatment lasts around 12 to 18 months.
However, some patients report that skin biostimulators last even longer. This is because these treatments stimulate the healing process in your skin rather than only adding volume.
How long do biostimulators take to work?
The length of time biostimulators take to work depends on what type of treatment you are having, with full results often only appearing from two to six months.
If you’re having CaHa treatment, you should notice some improvement in your skin’s volume immediately after you’ve had your injection, with the full effect developing over several months.
Polynucleotides take slightly longer for noticeable effects to start showing, about 2 to 3 weeks after your treatment. The full results will show up over 8 to 12 weeks.
In both cases, we recommend having 2 to 3 skin biostimulator sessions, spaced 4-6 weeks apart, for optimal results.
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