Pr. LUCA PIOVANO, MD, is a Professor of Plastic Surgery with a primary focus on Aesthetic Medicine and an internationally recognised expert in micro-invasive techniques.
With age and environmental stressors, the skin exhibits wrinkles, reduced firmness and elasticity, uneven pigmentation, impaired barrier function, dryness, and increased vulnerability. These changes are most noticeable on the face, affecting psychological well-being. The global rise in the elderly population is driving demands for aesthetic interventions, reflected by the increasing use of anti-ageing cosmetics and medical procedures. Yet, cosmetics have limitations, and micro-invasive procedures would benefit from improved recovery and synergy with cosmetics.
We assessed two products from the Global-Repair Advanced line (Filorga, France): the Cream and the Elixir. Both contain core active ingredients to improve skin recovery. Skin surface reinforcement is supported by an innovative and patented biomimetic lipid complex, a blend of nutri-revitalising oils and ceramides, while Damask rose extract enhances radiance. The high concentration of Tree of Life (Tabebuia avellanedae) botanical extract aims to prevent cellular ageing. Finally, injecting collagen boosters aim to increase dermis density and structure.
Methods
Participants and ethics
The Cream was evaluated on 36 subjects, and the Elixir on 34. Pilot studies involving six participants assessed the combined use of either of these two products with micro-invasive procedures. All studies adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki, and participants provided written informed consent.
Test products
The products are two formulations from the Global-Repair Advanced line (Filorga, France) consisting of an oil-in-water emulsion Cream and a light oily Elixir. Both were applied in the morning and the evening to the face, neck, and décolleté.
Ex vivo evaluation
The effects of Cream and Elixir were evaluated after seven days of twice? daily application of either product onto human ex vivo skin explants. On day 8, elastin fibre length was measured after immunohistochemical labelling.
Micro-invasive procedures
Two procedures were evaluated: biostimulation with dermal injection of hyaluronic acid and a blend of four amino acids ( Valine, Glycine, Lisyne and Leucine), and instrumental deep cleansing procedure combined with microneedling.
Assessments
The effects of the Cream and Elixir were instrumentally evaluated at baseline and after 28 and 56 days. Wrinkle depth and skin smoothness were quantified in the crow’s feet area with the Primos 3D, while transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measured skin barrier. Firmness and tonicity were evaluated with a Cutometer, skin brightness with a colourimeter, hydration with a Cutometer, and complexion homogeneity by calculating the Individual Typology Angle (ITA°) from digital facial images.
Results from micro-invasive procedures with and without Cream or Elixir applications were evaluated by a dermatologist using standardised scales. A seven-item Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) was used to rate subjects and investigator satisfaction. Results were normalised on a 0 (poor) to 12 (excellent) scale.
Statistics
Normally distributed data from Cream and Elixir evaluations were compared to baseline using Student t-tests. Data from product applications following micro-invasive procedures were also evaluated with Student’s t-test.
Results
As a preliminary evaluation, we used ex vivo skin explants to assess elastin, a key protein of the extracellular matrix responsible for the extensibility and elastic recoil of the skin. Compared to untreated explants, seven days of Cream applications induces a 53% increase in elastin fibre length and the Elixir a 120% increase.
In a clinical evaluation, subjects applying twice daily the Global-Repair Advanced Cream or the Elixir present an improvement in all ageing signs evaluated (Table 1): wrinkle depth, skin smoothness, barrier function, firmness and tonicity, as well as complexion brightness. Besides, skin hydration and evenness of the complexion, assessed only for the Elixir, are also improved. Improvements are already noticeable after 28 days and further ameliorate after 56 days. It should also be noted that the extents of improvement differ between the Cream and the Elixir, with a slightly better efficacy of the Cream for all parameters, except firmness that is better improved by the elixir, and equivalent results of both products for tonicity after 30 days.
We also evaluated the effect of twice-daily Global-Repair Advanced Cream applications following a biostimulation procedure, comparing results to those of biostimulation alone (Figure 1A). After 30 days, the biostimulation alone enhances radiance, and improves complexion homogeneity and skin hydration. When the Cream is applied after the procedure, all evaluated parameters improve, including subject’s and investigator’s GAIS. There is also a clear trend towards improvement in all parameters, except for hydration, compared to biostimulation alone.
Thirty days after a deep cleansing and microneedling (Figure 1B), the procedure improves all parameters except skin complexion homogeneity and the nasolabial fold. When the Global-Repair Advanced Elixir is applied twice daily during these 30 days, all parameters tend to further improve and the improvement of the severity of the nasolabial fold becomes significant.
Discussion
Results from the ex vivo and clinical evaluations of the Global-Repair Advanced Cream and Elixir shows that both products have marked benefits on ageing signs. They improve skin biophysical parameters as evidenced by the increased elastin fibre length and the improved firmness and elasticity. They also reduce crow’s feet wrinkles. These results show that both products have a profound positive impact on the dermis. Raising the barrier function and improving hydration help alleviate age-related xerosis and contribute to a smoother microrelief, the masking of fine lines, and better optical skin characteristics. Finally, both products increase brightness, mitigating photo-ageing damages.
The other point of interest lies in the post-micro-invasive procedure studies. The limited number of subjects only allowed identifying a significant improvement in complexion homogeneity in the case of biostimulation and cream application, demonstrating a positive effect on skin recovery. Moreover, clear trends indicate improvements across all parameters, suggesting notable benefits from Cream or Elixir applications. By their unique composition acting at several levels of the skin, they seem to favour recovery and contribute to maximise procedure outcomes.
Table
Table 1 Evolution of aging signs upon twice daily application of the cream or the elixir.
Legend of the figure
Figure Effect of micro-invasive cosmetic procedures followed or not by twice daily application of the Global-Repair Advanced Cream or Elixir.