In my 18 years in the Aesthetic Industry, I have witnessed many modalities for anti-aging. In the years I have been a part of Cynthia Gregg MD | Face & Body Specialists, I have recognized that extensive research and trials are essential in choosing the safest, result-yielding, optimal treatment options. Our Practice does not jump on the bandwagon of every trendy treatment that comes along. Our patients’ safety and product efficacy are paramount when considering new products and treatments. Our four experienced Aesthetic Nurse Injectors have long wished for a non-surgical, reliable, consistent treatment for the undereye area to add to the products available for facial rejuvenation.
Undereye hollows, dark circles, and crepey skin are a natural result of aging. This area is one of the first areas of the face to show our age based on these predictable aging processes:
- Starting in our 20s, we lose about 1% of collagen every year
- Fat pads shift around the cheekbone beginning around age 25-30
- Thin skin plus loss of subcutaneous fat makes blood vessels visible through the skin
- Visualizing these blood vessels causes the undereye area to have a bluish-purple tint
- Bone reabsorption in our 30s and 40s enlarges the orbital rim (eye socket), further deepening hollowing, combined with the progressing laxity
When Airessence introduced Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF+), we approached it cautiously. It initially seemed similar in concept to PRP and PRF. There is a place in the medical field for both methods of introducing stem cells, but we did not feel they were at the level of efficacy and consistency we wanted for our patients. After researching and analyzing evidence-based studies showing safety and effectiveness at a level we had not seen for the undereye, we did our own investigation. We found that PDGF+ is the first of its kind, a consistent and effective tissue-stimulating growth factor! It is almost too good to be true. But it is true, and this is a very exciting time for us in the aesthetic industry.
PDGF+ is a lab-purified, highly potent growth factor extracted and concentrated for maximum regeneration of the thin undereye skin. Unlike PRP or PRF, PDGF+ is not drawn from the patient’s blood, eliminating variability in results based on individual blood quality. It is engineered to target fibroblasts, the key cell receptors responsible for building collagen and supporting the extracellular matrix. PDGF+ stimulates very rapid tissue regeneration and strengthens skin integrity, thus restoring the delicate tissue of the undereye!
PDGF+ is also used in conjunction with microneedling with SkinPen® for skin rejuvenation and hair restoration. We anticipate that additional uses of PDGF+ are on the horizon in the aesthetic industry.
In simple terms, PDGF+ is like giving the undereye area a blueprint for youth and the building materials to rebuild itself efficiently and quickly. PDGF+ works by reversing the aging of the undereyes by:
- Building collagen both quickly and efficiently
- Thickening the skin of the undereye, reducing the translucent crepey tissue that shows the purple and blue-hued blood vessels
- Restoring the firmness of the skin in the undereye area, giving the t-zone area back the beautiful, youthful light reflection we see in youth
- Yielding results as soon as 6 to 8 weeks, with some improvement in as little as 3 weeks
PDGF+ represents the missing link in our non-surgical toolbox of modalities for facial rejuvenation, allowing us to treat the undereye area. We are very excited to have this for our patients! This exceptional product has shown a clinical mechanism of action that yields visible results with a strong safety profile, providing a natural-looking result without the risk of inconsistent or unnatural results.
To learn more about this exceptional undereye treatment, please call our office and schedule a consultation with one of our Aesthetic Nurse Injectors.
– Melissa Stockyj, RN, CANS