Functional aesthetic medicine is based on an understanding of the physiological imbalances within the body that lead to numerous skin conditions and aging. I prioritize delivery of exceptional results to my patients using a functional aesthetic and regenerative medicine approach. Using safe products and procedures, my goal is to successfully reverse and correct various signs of skin aging with lasting effects.
My technique focuses on pinpointing and tackling the imbalances responsible for chronic inflammation. Through an integrative approach to skincare, I bolster the body’s innate capacity to manage inflammation, thereby easing the associated physical symptoms. Embracing a holistic perspective that encompasses various elements such as dietary habits, environmental cleanliness and lifestyle choices, I promote the body’s internal healing mechanisms.
Individualized skincare wellness plans can include:
- Clinical nutrition and dietary shifts incorporating anti-inflammatory foods
- Clean beauty products and proper ultraviolet (UV) and Blue Light protection
- Incorporating organic herbal products
- Nutritional supplements and probiotics
- Exercise according to the patients’ age
- Personalized laboratory tests, including, when necessary, genetic tests and food intolerance
- Restorative and regenerative sleep
- Stress management strategies such as meditation and mindfulness
- Encouraging supportive relationships
I prioritize holistic care, delving deep to uncover the underlying causes of illness. Through thorough and meticulous patient history-taking, I craft tailored wellness plans that seamlessly integrate into my patients’ lifestyles.
Treatment plans often encompass a comprehensive approach, integrating strategies to improve gut health, mitigate environmental factors, counter UV damage, minimize mold exposure, detoxify from toxins and heavy metals, and bolster the body’s detox pathways, all while promoting healthy lifestyle choices.
Skin aging is an inevitable process driven by two overlapping factors, intrinsic and extrinsic, both of which decrease the structural integrity and physiological function of the skin.
Intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging are cumulative processes that result in reduced dermal collagen levels and the development of elastosis. Histological evaluation reveals that sun damaged skin has a flattened dermo-epidermal interface with loss of dermal papillae, decreased dermal thickness and vascularity, decreased fi broblast activity, and haphazardly arranged, fragmented elastin fibers.
Decreased total elastin content and reduced ability to synthesize type I procollagen have been observed in physiologically older, sun damaged skin, in comparison to young, undamaged skin. The human integument serves as a barrier – it separates the body from the outside world and is thus subjected to more abuses than most organs. Fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and dehydrated skin are the first visible signs of aging. Fighting against aging is one of the main challenges of this century.
Healing of skin wounds is precisely regulated by complex interactions between growth factors (GFs) that result in signaling cascades. Successful wound healing comprises a balance between development of inflammation and its resolution. This involves multiple GFs that are relevant to wound healing to induce dermal remodeling by stimulating synthesis of new collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans, as well as mediating angiogenesis.
There are striking similarities between these events and those that could successfully address the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging. GF levels in the body peak in youth and decline thereafter. It has been hypothesized that skin aging is analogous to a wound that is extensive enough to overwhelm the skin’s inherent repair mechanisms, which become attenuated with age. The aim of administering topical or injectable GFs is to replenish the skin’s own depleted levels and to upregulate the activity of cells responsible for dermal remodeling, thereby slowing or even reversing the manifestations of skin aging. This rationale can be extended to iatrogenic skin wounding, such as during laser and other skin rejuvenation procedures; the hypothesis being that topical and injectable GFs may also facilitate healing in this situation, and perhaps even enhance the results.
The parallel between skin wounding and skin aging is heightened by the fact that the initial inflammation seen in wounded skin is reactive oxygen species- (ROS) mediated, just like the changes seen in aging skin.
Treating Skin Burns with Oral Supplementation and Growth Factors
Hand Burn Regenerative Treatment (See Figure 1)
Clinical Evaluation
A 46-year-old male presented following a high-tension electrical box explosion, sustaining fi rst- and second-degree burns on the right hand. The injuries posed a signifi cant risk of infection and potential loss of function.
Diagnosis (Anamnese, Lab Tests, Etc.)
The second-degree burns on the right hand, resulted in loss of skin folding at the articulations. A plastic surgeon recommended a skin transplant from the gluteus as a treatment option. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the patient’s genera
l condition, revealing all parameters within normal ranges.
Recognizing the critical need to prevent infection and initiate skin regeneration from the outset, I opted to begin treatment by applying a topical cream containing epidermal growth factors and silver sulfadiazine. Additionally, addressing inflammation and oxidative stress was paramount. Equally crucial was the support provided to bolster the immune system.
I suggested this protocol instead of the skin tissue transplant suggested by the plastic surgeon because I felt the latter approach risked compromising both the function and aesthetics of the hand. It is also a very accessible, lower-cost treatment for the patient compared to surgery.
Treatment Regimen
The following interventions were implemented from the outset to effectively manage inflammation and swelling, promoting complete skin regeneration without keloid scars or hyperpigmentation:
- Exostem GF Topical containing epidermal growth factors and angiogenin
- Oral antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase capsules)
- High-dose vitamin D3 (5,000 IU daily)
- Vitamin K2 (200 mcg daily)
- Daily krill omega supplements
- A daily multivitamin containing DMAE (250 mg)
- Once-daily dose of curcumin
Vitamin D3 supplementation was aimed at supporting the immune system, while superoxide dismutase helped regulate oxidative stress to facilitate skin regeneration. Notably, no antibiotics or anti-inflammatories were administered throughout the treatment course.
In this case, we see a complete resolution of the problem, both functional and aesthetic.
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About the Author
Francisco Llano, MD
Dr. Llano specializes in functional aesthetics and regenerative medicine. He studied as a medical surgeon in the High Academic Demand Program (PAEA) at the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) with a postgraduate degree in aesthetic medicine in Brazil, Chile and Mexico. He is board certifi ed by the Canadian Board of Aesthetic Medicine (CBAM).
