💡 Please check this before reading

Q. Do collagen injections create volume right away like fillers do?

A. No. Collagen injections are not meant to create immediate volume.

They work by encouraging your body to make collagen on its own,

so at first the effect may seem minimal,

but over time it naturally fills out without feeling foreign.

Q. Then isn’t the slow effect a drawback?

A. If you want a fast effect, then yes, that is a drawback.

But for those who want 'naturalness',

this speed actually becomes an advantage.

📌 Key insight from Dr. Wi Young-jin

Using a principle that makes your own tissue fill the sunken area of wrinkles,

it is not as immediate as filler,

but over time it becomes natural without a foreign-body sensation.

What does 'my own tissue fills out'

mean?

When you search for collagen injections,

you usually see expressions like this.

'It promotes collagen production.'

But this is a bit vague,

because it is not easy to intuitively feel how it differs from a filler

that simply puts something into the skin.

So today, let's take a proper look at this.

In the dermis layer of our skin, there are originally

dense collagen fibers.

This collagen maintains firmness,

and supports the skin so wrinkles do not form.

But as we age, or when we are exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time,

or depending on lifestyle habits, this collagen gradually breaks down,

and empty spaces form, causing the skin to sink in.

That is exactly what a wrinkle is.

It is not simply the skin sagging,

but the support structure from within collapsing.

Fillers work by pushing external substances (such as hyaluronic acid)

into that empty space to fill it immediately.

Because the effect is fast, but since it is not 'mine',

if too much is injected, it can look unnatural

or cause a foreign-body sensation.

And over time, it is absorbed and disappears.

Collagen injections take a different approach.

The main ingredient is a component that can stimulate the dermis,

and here 'stimulation' means

sending a signal of microscopic damage to the skin.

Then the skin receives that signal

and recognizes, 'This area needs regeneration,' and produces

collagen and elastin (proteins that give skin elasticity) on its own.

In other words, your body directly fills the empty space.

That is why

there may not seem to be a big change right after the procedure.

But here is something important.

Starting around 4 to 8 weeks later, collagen gradually forms,

and your own tissue really starts to fill in from within the skin.

This is exactly why it does not become lumpy on one side

or develop a hard feeling like filler does.

It is tissue your own skin created on its own.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. Wi Young-jin's key summary

Collagen injections are not about 'filling in'

but about 'making my body create it'.

If filler fills the space from the outside, collagen injections

encourage real tissue to grow inside the skin.

That is why it takes time for results to appear,

but when it is complete, the reason it feels natural without a foreign-body sensation

is right here.

Then for whom

are collagen injections a fit?

Honestly,

collagen injections are not right for everyone.

It varies by case,

but this is how I usually divide them.

[These people are a good fit]

— People who had filler injected but felt it looked unnatural

— People worried about wrinkles in areas with a lot of facial movement, like around the eyes or mouth

— People who want a long-term, natural change rather than an immediate effect

— People who have repeatedly had filler and feel that the skin has become a bit firm or lumpy

[These people may be better off choosing something else]

— People who absolutely need a fast effect, such as for a wedding or an important event

— People whose goal is a large volume increase in an area like the cheeks

In these cases, rather than collagen injections,

I tend to suggest combining filler or another method.

This is a common misconception,

but collagen injections are not universally good.

They are a method that suits people who want 'natural and lasting changes'.

If the purpose is different, the choice should be different too.

In fact, in our clinic there have been quite a few cases where people who repeatedly had filler injected elsewhere and felt a foreign-body sensation

said their skin texture improved evenly after 3 to 4 collagen injection sessions.

Unlike filler, which gets absorbed and leaves empty space again,

collagen injections usually last 1 to 2 years or more,

and many people feel that the skin's texture itself changes.

One thing I must mention is that

collagen injections can also cause temporary swelling or bruising after the procedure.

Especially in the thin skin around the eyes,

swelling may remain for 2 to 3 days,

and in some cases 2 to 3 repeated treatments are needed

before the effect appears.

That said, if you want natural results without a foreign-body sensation,

I think this process is well worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How are collagen injections different from Rejuran,

and exosome injections?

A. The purpose is similar, but the mechanisms are a little different.

Collagen injections induce collagen production

through dermal stimulation,

while Rejuran uses a component called polynucleotide (PDRN)

to directly send cell-regeneration signals.

Exosomes are a concept where signaling substances between cells are supplied from the outside

to help the skin recover.

All three share the same direction of 'reviving the skin itself',

but the choice can vary depending on skin condition and purpose.

Rather than which one is better, which one fits my skin right now

is more important.

Q2. How long do the effects of collagen injections last?

A. Although it varies from person to person,

we usually consider about 1 to 1.5 years as the standard.

After starting with an initial series of 2 to 4 sessions, many people continue with maintenance treatments every 6 months to 1 year.

Unlike filler, which is absorbed and 'disappears',

the collagen your skin created gradually decreases,

so many people say it feels less like the effect suddenly stops

and more like it slowly fades.

This has been Dr. Wi Young-jin of Beautystone Clinic in Hongdae.

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