Fibroblast
What Is It?
In fibroblast treatment we culture your own skin cells from a small tissue sample and return them to your skin. Fibroblasts are the cells in the skin that produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, the cells that repair the skin. I liken them to bricklayers. With age there are fewer of them, and they start to work more slowly. In this treatment we reinforce the very cell that does the producing, without adding any material from outside.
We usually take the tissue sample from behind the ear. That spot sees the least sun, so it is where the cells are least worn. The sample goes to a laboratory, the cells are multiplied under controlled conditions over a number of weeks, and when they are ready we schedule the session. So fibroblast treatment follows a calendar and can’t be done in a single day.
How Is It Done?
First we check whether you are suitable and request the tests needed. Then, under local anaesthesia, we take a tissue sample of a few millimetres from behind the ear. The site heals on its own and stays hidden behind the hairline.
Once the laboratory stage is over, we inject the cultured cells into the middle layer of the skin in small points. We can work on the cheeks, the eye area, around the mouth and the neck. The session takes 30-45 minutes on average. We usually plan one or two sessions; the second is placed on top of the first after a set interval.
Who Is It For?
It suits people with loss of elasticity and more fine lines who would like to work with their own cells instead of a product added from outside. It comes up more often from the mid-thirties on. If you know from the start that the result will come slowly and gradually, we have set the expectation correctly.
It isn’t enough on its own for marked sagging and volume loss. Pregnancy and breastfeeding, active infection, a bleeding disorder, uncontrolled autoimmune disease, active cancer treatment and a tendency to keloid change the plan; we go through these one by one at the examination. Smoking affects how well the cells survive and the result, so it is one of the subjects we talk about throughout the process.
Process & Recovery
Suitability and tests
We look at your skin, your expectations and your medical history, and request the tests the laboratory process needs. We draw up the calendar together here.
Tissue sampling
Under local anaesthesia we take a sample of a few millimetres from behind the ear. It is quick; the site heals on its own and stays behind the hairline.
Laboratory stage
The cells are cultured under controlled conditions. This stage takes weeks and can’t be sped up; we set the session date when the laboratory tells us the cells are ready.
Injection session
We deliver the cultured cells into the middle layer of the skin through small points. The session takes 30-45 minutes; there may be redness and mild swelling for a few days afterwards.
Month 3-6 assessment
The result appears as the cells start producing. In this period we compare photographs, and if a second session is needed we plan it from here.
Results & Duration
With fibroblast treatment you won’t see the result on the day of the injection. It shows as the cells settle into the skin and start producing. The first difference is usually seen after the third month, in the freshness of the skin and the smoothness of its surface, and the change keeps building over the following months.
The reported range of effect is long; 3-5 years is commonly cited. That said, it varies from person to person with age, the condition of the skin and lifestyle. Ageing goes on, so the treatment doesn’t stop that process. Our aim is to carry on from the point we have reached.
What Is Not Promised
Fibroblast doesn’t add volume, doesn’t build a cheekbone or jawline and doesn’t gather up sagging skin; it doesn’t do a filler’s job. It can’t replace a surgical lift or a thread lift either.
It doesn’t give a quick result; don’t expect a visible change in the first weeks. Deep expression lines and pigmentation are separate subjects that need separate planning. No one can promise a particular appearance or duration. The response you get depends on how your own cells respond.
Key Benefits
- Long-term support
- Cellular repair
- Your own cells
“If you are thinking only of a repair that concerns your skin, cells obtained from a piece of skin taken from behind the ear will do the job. However, on the day you give the tissue you will see nothing. That is why I tell my patients at the start that we will look at the result after the third month.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fibroblast — is it stem cell treatment?
It is different from stem cell treatment. A fibroblast is the cell that produces collagen and elastin in the skin; here your own skin cells are cultured. Cells taken from the skin do their work in repairs that concern the skin. The mesenchymal stem cells we obtain from fat, which can also repair deeper tissues, are a separate group and a separate process.
Where is the tissue taken from?
Usually from behind the ear. This is the spot that sees the least sun; the site stays behind the hairline and heals on its own.
How long does the laboratory stage take?
It takes weeks. Culturing the cells can’t be sped up; we set the session date when the laboratory tells us they are ready.
When will I see the result?
After the third month. The first difference is usually seen then and keeps building over the following months. Don’t expect a result on the day of the injection.
How many sessions are needed?
One or two. We discuss whether a second is needed at the third-month assessment.
How long does it last?
The commonly reported range is 3-5 years. It varies from person to person with age, the condition of the skin and habits.
Does it replace filler?
No. Fibroblast deals with tissue quality and doesn’t add volume. If there is volume loss, we plan for it separately.
What happens after the procedure?
There may be redness for a few days, and mild swelling can also follow the injection. You go back to your daily life the same day; you put off heavy exercise and the sauna for a short while.