Fibroblast therapy is a treatment in which fibroblasts are separated from a small sample of your own skin, multiplied in a laboratory and then injected back into the skin. Because the cells come from you, it is an “autologous” treatment. In the medical literature it is also called fibroblast implantation.

Fibroblasts are skin cells that produce supporting proteins such as collagen, which gives skin firmness, and elastin. With age, their number and activity decline, so the skin thins, loses elasticity and wrinkles become more visible. Sun, smoking and stress can speed this up.

The aim of fibroblast therapy is to support the skin’s collagen structure and soften the look of fine wrinkles. Research in this area is ongoing; results vary from person to person and the treatment does not stop the aging process.

In Türkiye, cell- and tissue-based applications are subject to Ministry of Health regulation. Fibroblast therapy is performed only within the scope permitted by the regulations, with laboratories and healthcare facilities that hold the required licenses and approvals, and by a physician.

The skin sample is taken from behind the ear, an area that gets less sun and where the small mark is easily hidden.

1. Numbing: The area behind the ear is cleaned and numbed with a local anesthetic.
2. Sampling: A very small piece of skin is removed through a cut a few millimeters long.
3. Dressing: The area is covered with a small bandage.

Sampling takes about 5–7 minutes, and you can usually return to your routine, including showering, straight away. Follow your doctor’s advice on wound care, and get in touch if you notice redness, discharge or increasing pain.

In the laboratory, the fibroblasts are separated and multiplied under special conditions for about three weeks; how well they grow varies from person to person. Nothing else is needed while you wait, and the treatment date is confirmed once the cells are ready.

Treatment takes place about five weeks after sampling, once the cells are ready. Your face is assessed first at our clinic in Nişantaşı, Istanbul.

Pausing blood-thinning medicines and supplements such as aspirin, high-dose omega-3 and vitamin E for a few days beforehand, after checking with your doctor, may reduce bruising. If you have active acne, a cold sore or an infection on the face, treatment is postponed.

1. Preparation: The face is cleansed and a numbing cream is applied if needed.
2. Mixing: The cells are prepared in hyaluronic acid, a commonly used filler material.
3. Injection: The mixture is injected into the face with a fine needle, focusing on areas where wrinkles are most concentrated.

The whole face can be treated. The hyaluronic acid gives a slight early fullness, while any fibroblast contribution to collagen is intended to appear over the following months.

You can usually return to your routine the same day; redness and mild swelling mostly settle within a few days. For collagen-supporting options that do not need cell culture, see youth and collagen injections.

Because your own cells are used, the risk of a reaction is considered low, but both stages may cause side effects:

• At the sampling site: Mild tenderness, redness and a small mark.
• At the injection site: Redness, swelling, bruising and temporary unevenness.
• Related to hyaluronic acid: Rarely, an allergic reaction or filler-specific complications such as a blocked blood vessel.
• Infection: Rare, but possible with any injection.

If the cells do not multiply enough, treatment may be postponed or may not go ahead as planned. Long-term data are limited, so discuss the possible benefits and risks with your doctor in detail beforehand. If you notice severe pain, a change in skin color or swelling that lasts longer than expected, contact your doctor without delay.

The number of sessions is decided at your examination. For example, with a three-session plan, treatments are repeated once a month.

It is usually considered when fine wrinkles and thinning skin are starting to show; with marked sagging or deep lines, it may need to be combined with other methods.

Any contribution of the fibroblasts is usually assessed after the first two months. Change develops slowly, and how noticeable it is varies from person to person.

Fibroblast therapy does not stop aging and does not promise a lasting result. How long any result lasts depends on age, your skin’s starting condition, smoking, sun damage and general health. Daily sunscreen, avoiding smoking and enough sleep help protect the skin’s collagen. Where volume loss is marked, facial filler may be assessed, and for hydration and radiance, mesolifting is another option that needs no cell culture.