Prospects of Collagen Stimulating Injections for Antiaging

Skin aging is characterized by the degradation of collagen and the extracellular matrix which compromise it structural and functional integrity. The aesthetic benefits of available conventional injections such as hyaluronic acid fillers are limited due to the temporary improvements and the formation of clumps. On the other hand, advanced techniques such as collagen stimulating injections boost the synthesis of collagen via the induction of nucleogenesis. Despite the increased research interest in this area, most literature broadly discusses biostimulators or focus on one type without a comprehensive and comparative discussion of their mechanisms, clinical performances, advantages, and limitations. This review aims to address this knowledge gap. Moreover, it discusses the future prospects of the available agents. This review provides a focused, comprehensive, and comparative evaluation of the available collagen stimulating agents including poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLLA). Moreover, experimental modalities including exosomes and polynucleotides are discussed. PLLA induces subclinical inflammatory response to stimulate the production of fibroblasts, whereas CaHA directly induces collagen production by acting as a bioactive scaffold. Furthermore, emerging therapies show promising results as cellular regenerators. However, scalability, process standardization, and regulations are challenging. In conclusion, collagen stimulating injections have shown advancement in combating ageing with minimally invasive techniques. Future prospects should emphasize on the deployment of smart delivery systems and personalized treatments.