Regenerative medicine series - Blog 1 of 3

Blog 1: Understanding Ageing and How Regenerative Medicine Can Help

Ageing: A Natural Yet Complex Process

Ageing is inevitable, but the way it manifests in our bodies is more complex than many people realise. It isn’t simply a case of “getting wrinkles.” Ageing affects every layer—from the skin’s surface to the bone structure beneath—and it also reflects broader changes in circulation, hormones, and cellular repair mechanisms.

By understanding the science of how we age, we can make sense of the concerns people often bring to clinic: fine lines, sagging skin, uneven pigmentation, a “tired” look, or loss of facial volume. More importantly, it helps us choose treatments that don’t just mask the signs of ageing, but actively work with the body to restore and regenerate.

Skin and Ageing: More Than Just Wrinkles

The skin is the most visible marker of age, and changes happen gradually over decades.

• Collagen and elastin depletion

  
  

  Collagen is the protein that gives skin its firmness and strength. Elastin provides stretch and flexibility. From our mid-20s, we produce about 1% less collagen each year, which adds up significantly by midlife. Less collagen and elastin means looser, thinner, less resilient skin. Wrinkles and sagging follow.

• Hyaluronic acid decline

  
  

  This natural sugar molecule holds water in the skin. With age, our hyaluronic acid reserves drop, leading to dryness, crepiness, and reduced “plumpness.”

• Slower skin renewal

  
  

  Young skin renews itself roughly every month. As we age, this process slows to 40–60 days. Dead cells sit longer on the surface, making skin look dull, uneven, or rough.

• Vascular and pigment changes

  
  

  Blood vessels become more fragile, contributing to redness, visible capillaries, and slower healing. Years of sun exposure often lead to brown spots or uneven pigmentation.

Together, these changes explain why many people feel their skin looks tired, less radiant, and less reflective of how youthful they still feel inside.

Deeper Changes: Fat, Muscle, and Bone

Skin alone doesn’t tell the full story. What lies beneath plays just as big a role in facial ageing.

• Fat redistribution

  
  

  We have distinct fat pads in the face that give youthful fullness and contour. With age, these pads shrink, shift, and descend. Hollowness appears under the eyes and in the cheeks, while jowls and heaviness may form around the lower face.

A new and increasingly recognised factor is the impact of GLP-1 weight loss injections (such as semaglutide and tirzepatide). These medications have helped many people achieve significant weight loss, but rapid fat reduction can also accelerate loss of facial fat pads. Patients sometimes describe this as “Ozempic face” or “Mounjaro face.” The result is a more pronounced hollowing of the cheeks, temples, and under-eyes, which can make someone appear older rather than younger—even when their overall health has improved. This has led to a rise in patients seeking regenerative and restorative treatments to counteract the unintended effects of rapid fat loss.

• Muscle activity and weakness

  
  

  Facial muscles are constantly working, whether we’re smiling, frowning, or squinting. Over decades, this repeated activity etches lines into the skin—crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead creases. At the same time, some muscles weaken, offering less support to the skin, further contributing to sagging.

• Bone resorption

  
  

  One of the most overlooked aspects of ageing is bone loss. The eye sockets widen, the midface bone flattens, and the jawline becomes less defined. This subtle “scaffolding shrinkage” changes the very architecture of the face, making skin appear to sag more dramatically.

Whole-Body Ageing

What happens in the face mirrors wider processes in the body:

• Loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) reduces tone and definition.

• Slower circulation means fewer nutrients delivered to skin and tissue, and slower healing.

• Hormonal changes—especially during menopause and andropause—affect collagen, hydration, fat distribution, and even hair growth.

• Oxidative stress from lifestyle and environment damages cells and accelerates ageing from within.

These processes explain why many people notice changes not only in their appearance but in energy levels, skin quality, and overall vitality.

Traditional Approaches: Anti-Wrinkle Injections and Fillers

For decades, aesthetic medicine has offered two main tools:

• Anti-wrinkle injections relax overactive muscles, softening expression lines caused by repetitive movement. These remain an excellent choice for frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead creases.

• Dermal fillers restore lost volume, reshape contours, and lift sagging features by replacing what has been lost in fat or bone.

Both treatments remain highly effective when used carefully and ethically. However, an increasing number of clients now tell us they want something that feels less artificial—something that doesn’t simply fill or freeze, but actually restores health and quality to the skin itself.

The Rise of Regenerative Medicine

This is where regenerative medicine comes in. Rather than “masking” ageing changes, regenerative treatments aim to stimulate the body’s own repair systems, promoting natural collagen production, improving skin quality, and restoring balance in a way that looks fresh but not “done.”

At TT Medical Clinic, we offer several regenerative options:

• Polynucleotides: DNA-derived molecules that encourage cell repair, improve elasticity, and restore hydration—especially effective for delicate areas like the under-eyes.

• Jalupro® (amino acids): Jalupro is a unique injectable formulation that combines amino acids with hyaluronic acid. Amino acids are the fundamental “building blocks” of proteins like collagen and elastin. By supplying them directly into the skin, Jalupro provides the resources your body needs to produce fresh collagen, repair tissue, and restore radiance. The added hyaluronic acid gives immediate hydration, while the amino acids drive long-term rejuvenation. The result is skin that looks firmer, more elastic, and more luminous. Clients often describe it as their skin looking “rested” and “revitalised” rather than altered.

• Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra® by Galderma): A proven biostimulator that gradually rebuilds lost volume and firmness by stimulating long-term collagen production.

• Energy-based devices:

  
  

  • Radiofrequency microneedling combines tiny micro-injuries with deep heating to stimulate new collagen and tighten skin.

  
  

  • CO₂ fractional laser resurfaces the skin, reducing fine lines, scars, pigmentation, and textural irregularities.

These treatments can be used alone or layered in a personalised plan to address skin ageing at every level.

The Shift Toward Natural Restoration

More and more clients are looking for subtle, natural results—choosing treatments that refresh rather than transform. Regenerative medicine provides exactly that. Instead of replacing what is lost with artificial volume, we stimulate the body to rebuild its own structure, collagen, and elasticity.

This doesn’t mean anti-wrinkle injections or fillers have no place—they continue to be valuable tools when appropriate. But for many people, regenerative treatments represent the future of aesthetics: safe, effective, science-led, and restorative.

Looking Ahead

This blog has explored the fascinating ways our bodies age and how these physiological processes give rise to the visible signs of ageing. We’ve also introduced the regenerative treatments designed to address these changes at their root.

In our next blog, we’ll take a deeper dive into injectable regenerative treatments—examining polynucleotides, Jalupro, and Sculptra in more detail, and showing how they differ from traditional approaches.

Tom