When was the last time you remember a product delivering even more than it claimed? Stumped? We were too until a study published in the February issue of Archives of Dermatology made us change our tune.

According to the study, which was conducted at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, injections of the popular wrinkle filling treatment Restylane can not only temporarily fill in facial wrinkles, but can also stimulate skin cells to produce collagen – the protein that keep skin firm and resilient.

As we age, our collagen production plateaus and then drops off, causing our skin to begin to sag and wrinkle. Sun exposure has been linked to decreased production of collagen and an acceleration of the aging process. But this new study brings hope.

According to Frank Wang, co-author of the study, “…in addition to filling up space, these injections induce robust production of collagen, thought to give rise to the smooth contour of the skin,"

From high-end moisturizers to Botox and everything in between, we spend millions of dollars each year on different treatments to slow the appearance of aging. Restalyn and its competitors rely on hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring compound in the skin and connective tissue to achieve their temporary wrinkle-filling results. The hyaluronic acid molecules bind with water in the skin to lock moisture into the tissue and decrease the depth f wrinkles and fine lines. But like a Hollywood marriage, the bond doesn’t last forever (roughly four to six months) and patients need follow-up visits to continue the fight against Father Time.

What is especially exciting about these new findings is that the jumpstart in collagen production is that the patient’s own body is doing the work.

In young, healthy skin, there are spindle-shaped fibroblasts that stretch out and produce large quantities of collagen. The collagen than forms a spider web-like structure throughout the skin to support it and keep it firm and resilient. However, as we age and are exposed to the sun, the collagen itself begins to break down and the fibroblasts collapse.

According to the findings of the study, the Restalyn injections not only rejuvenated the fibroblasts and stretched them back to their original shape, but also prompted them to start producing collagen again and stimulated other chemicals that prevent the breakdown of collagen.

New studies will be needed to track the duration of the new collagen production in the long-term. But for now, patients who receive these injections can know that the treatments are pulling double duty and getting their own skin to join in the fight against aging.

The bottom line is that everyone will get wrinkles sooner or later. But if it’s sooner rather than later, Restalyn has been shown to help not only hide the appearance of the wrinkles, but to attack them at the source by stimulating your skin to create its own mini-lift from the inside out.

Note: The key ingredient in Restalyn is hyaluronic acid – a compound used in a number of other competing products as well. The study did not compare brands, so it is unknown at this time whether other products on the market – even ones with the same key ingredient – will produce the same results.

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