As we age our body parts may not always comply with the adage ‘Ageing gracefully’, but there are ladies out there, who are particular about their personal grooming and are quick to set in remedial processes at those first signs of ageing appearing on the skin.

While the cosmetic market is flooded with fix-it options both surgical and otherwise, there is a growing demand for less invasive measures to keep one’s skin looking young. For giving fillip to your skin and keeping that hydrated glow you are missing, skin boosters, anti-ageing injectable moisturising treatments, are increasingly the go-to option today.

While traditional derma fillers or botox help voluminise and enhance the facial features, a skin booster moisturises the skin and improves its overall health.

Ageing of the skin is a natural process which limits the body’s ability to produce natural oils and skin becomes less elastic. The skin, being less hydrated naturally in these years, becomes prone to dryness in the face and neck areas. The key to keeping the skin young and glowing is to keep it constantly hydrated. Moisturisers should be an integral part of your daily skincare regimen when this starts happening. As dermatologist Dr Divya Sharma reminds us, moisturisers are the first line of defence in keeping the skin well-hydrated. Regularly applying the right moisturiser helps skin keep moist and plump, she elaborates. Furthermore, she points out, this not only evens out your skin tone, it also reduces the appearance of blemishes. Dry skin is more fragile and vulnerable to premature fine lines and wrinkles she shares.

While moisturising creams and serums are quite useful, skin boosters help keep skin look younger for a longer time, says Dr Sharma. Skin boosters, she says, are injectable moisturisers, wherein hyaluronic acid (HA), that potent hydrating agent, is injected into the dermis (the second layer of skin) where cream moisturisers cannot penetrate.

“Skin boosters, as popular lingo believes them to be, are not creams and cosmetics, but are the injectable form of hyaluronic acid,” explains Dr Sharma. 

Explaining further, she points out there may be various brands in the market that are available in this category of skin boosters. So, for anyone who is looking for ways of improving the hydration of parched or dull skin, to make it supple and dewy again, this is a good procedure. Adding a cautionary note to this, she suggests that patients who are prone to acne or who have any active infection on the skin should not opt for it.

“With age the production of hyaluronic acid gets reduced in our bodies so we inject small amounts of very lightweight hyaluronic acid molecules, along with essential nutrients, directly to the skin’s middle layer (dermis) which helps improve the hydration of the skin and maintains its elasticity,” says Dr Sharma. 

In the dermis, hyaluronic acid regulates water balance and maintains the cell structure with the help of its properties of high water retention and viscosity. So, simply put, what hyaluronic acid does is, it captures the moisture and keeps the skin hydrated, thus helping it retain its flexibility and elasticity, while also reducing wrinkles and age lines. 

Hyaluronic acid, which is naturally produced in the body, has a molecular weight of 4000 to 8,000,000 dalton (DA). About 50% of the body’s hyaluronic acid is present in the skin, but with age diminishes, resulting in dryness and the first signs of ageing skin. Even the molecular weights can vary in their ability to penetrate different layers of the skin. There is a difference in results in the skin from high molecular weight (1100-1400 Kda) and low/ light molecular weight (80-100 Kda) hyaluronic acid. For example, molecules with lower molecular weight are smaller, and can go deeper in the layers of skin. The high molecular weight hyaluronic acid gives volume to your skin, resulting in a lifting effect; low molecular weight hyaluronic acid provides hydration to the dermis. As the hyaluronic acid injectable is low or lightweight, it does not give a filling effect, Dr Sharma clarifies. 

 “Remember, hyaluronic acid injectables are also used as fillers,” Dr Sharma reminds us. “But, this being lightweight it does not give a filling effect. Unlike traditional derma fillers, these micro injections do not enhance the features of your lip, cheeks or temples but boost skin hydration and quality. But in certain patients, improved hydration also gives them a skin glow, though scientifically skin boosters cannot make this claim. In certain patients, my experience also has shown that it improves the vitality of the skin. So, it is good to keep in mind that skin boosters are not a cream, or an oral antioxidant, but are injectable moisturisers,” she points out.

Skin boosters are usually injected in the areas where signs of ageing are more prevalent such as face, hands, decolletage and neck. Evidence of improvement can be seen within a few weeks of completion of the treatment. It keeps getting better over 3 months as collagen regeneration takes place. About 3-4 sittings within a gap of a few weeks are recommended for the best results. The effect of the treatment lasts up to 6 to 12 months.

Skin boosters, which seem to be more effective than anti-ageing creams and lotions, are worthy choices in comparison as they penetrate deeper under the skin surface and deliver anti-aging and hydrating ingredients into the middle layer of skin. They are also suitable for all skin types and age groups.