Having worked in the aesthetic and dermatological industry for quite a few years now, I’ve encountered a wide range of treatment modalities to address common concerns—whether it’s problem skin, signs of ageing, or autoimmune-related symptoms. These treatments often deliver incredible, life-changing results. But as something of an outsider—a designer and engineer—it appears the best and most sustainable results come from addressing deeper mechanisms within the body that influence how well these results last and how effectively the body supports healing.
Skin care products and treatments will only ever be as effective as the health of the cells underlying the skin. When the metabolic and regenerative capabilities of these cells are compromised, it becomes significantly harder for the skin to heal, repair, and sustain the improvements targeted by therapies. This understanding underscores the importance of approaching skin health holistically.
At the heart of this lies your metabolic system, and specifically the functional capacity of your mitochondria. These tiny organelles don’t just produce energy for your cells; they regulate processes like inflammation, cellular repair, and immune responses. By optimising your metabolic function, you can create a system-wide effect that not only improves your overall health but also enhances and sustains the results of aesthetic and dermatological treatments.
This isn’t about replacing targeted therapies. Instead, it’s about supporting your body holistically from the inside out—building a resilient foundation that complements and elevates the work of your chosen treatments.
What is the Metabolic System, and Why Does It Matter?
Your metabolic system is the engine that powers your body, converting nutrients and oxygen into energy (ATP) and supporting vital processes like cell repair and hormone regulation. The interesting thing about your metabolism is that while it is complex and multifaceted system, the approach to enhancing its function to near optimal is quite simple.
When the mitochondria are functioning well, the downstream benefits are system-wide, you feel energised, heal efficiently, you have younger and more vibrant skin all whist enjoying a robust immune system. When it’s out of balance, you might experience fatigue, chronic inflammation, or slower recovery—issues that can undermine the effectiveness of external treatments.
For those seeking aesthetic or dermatological improvements, a well-tuned metabolism plays a critical role in several ways:
Healing and Recovery: Optimised mitochondria accelerate tissue repair and reduce inflammation, aiding post-treatment healing.
Skin Quality: Healthy metabolism supports collagen production, skin hydration, and cellular turnover.
Longevity of Results: A strong metabolic foundation helps sustain the benefits of treatments, reducing the need for frequent maintenance.
Supporting Metabolism for Enhanced Health, Youth and Vitality
The beauty of metabolic health is that it’s highly responsive to lifestyle changes. By focusing on a few key areas, you can significantly enhance your metabolism and, in turn, your overall health and treatment outcomes. It goes without saying that diet an nutrition play a key The following are some actionable things that can be implemented to support the metabolism.
1. Light Therapy: A Cellular Power-Up
Having led the R&D efforts at Dermalux (shameless plug), I fell in love with light therapy as a treatment modality and exploring the ways something as simple as light can profoundly change our physiology. The treatment versatility is unmatched, and what’s even more remarkable is how it directly interacts with mitochondria to influence systemic benefits. Light therapy doesn’t force your body to do anything unnatural or invasive. Instead, it empowers your cells to perform their natural functions—but better and more efficiently.
Click here for my light therapy 101 blog post.
Red and near-infrared light therapy stimulate your mitochondria to produce more ATP, the energy currency of your cells. This boost in cellular energy reduces inflammation, supports skin repair, and even helps regulate the immune system.
How it helps treatments:
Speeds up recovery, reduces redness, and enhances collagen production whilst also reducing inflammation. The exact dosing requirements and length of effectiveness varies from person to person and by the capability of the device but getting regular exposure to red and NIR light can not only result in improved visual outcomes as a standalone but also support the longevity and effectiveness of other targeted treatments.
2. Fasting: A Metabolic Reset
Fasting is a powerful tool to optimise metabolic health by improving mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, and promoting cellular repair through a process called autophagy. Periods of fasting give your cells time to clear out damaged components and focus energy on repair, ultimately enhancing skin health and vitality.
While the idea of fasting can be off-putting for some, I’ve found that adopting an intermittent fasting approach—simply skipping breakfast—has been surprisingly easy to adapt to and implement and doesn’t feel restrictive.
How it helps treatments:
Promotes cellular repair, improving tissue regeneration post-treatment.
Reduces inflammation, supporting faster recovery and better long-term results.
Enhances mitochondrial efficiency, ensuring cells function at their best.
3. Supplementation for Enhancing Mitochondrial Function
Supporting mitochondrial health with targeted supplements can boost energy, improve recovery, and enhance skin regeneration.
How it helps treatments:
NAD+ Precursors (NMN, NR): Boost mitochondrial energy production, supporting faster recovery and better skin regeneration.
Methylene Blue: Enhances mitochondrial efficiency, helping cells repair and regenerate more effectively post-treatment. Methylene Blue is deemed a pharmaceutical, so it’s worth checking if it is suitable for you.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA): Reduces oxidative stress, supports mitochondrial function, and aids in faster skin recovery.
Resveratrol: A powerful antioxidant that supports mitochondrial biogenesis, combats oxidative stress, and enhances cellular repair processes, helping to maintain healthy, youthful skin.
4. Sleep: Essential for Metabolism and Skin Recovery
As a dad of two young boys, I know sleep can come at a premium—but it’s critical for metabolic health. During deep sleep, your body repairs tissues, regulates energy, and optimises mitochondrial function.
How it helps treatments:
Sleep regulates insulin and glucose metabolism, reducing inflammation and speeding up recovery.
Growth hormones are released during deep sleep, aiding tissue repair and collagen production—key for healing after treatments.
Supplements like melatonin or magnesium can support better sleep quality, enhancing recovery and metabolic function. Prioritizing sleep helps your body heal, reduces inflammation, and boosts the results of treatments.
The Bigger Picture: System-Wide Benefits
When you optimise your metabolic system, the benefits go far beyond aesthetic or dermatological results:
Energy and Vitality: Feel more alert and energetic throughout the day.
Disease Prevention: Lower inflammation reduces the risk of chronic illnesses.
Longevity: Healthy mitochondria support graceful aging.
Immune Function: A robust metabolic system powers immune cells, improving your body’s ability to fight infections and recover from treatments.
By combining these strategies with targeted aesthetic or dermatological therapies, you’re creating a holistic approach that supports your body’s natural processes while amplifying the results of professional treatments.
Conclusion
When looking to improve your metabolic health, you are tugging on the coattails of system that is foundational to how our bodies work. While aesthetic and dermatological therapies can work wonders for specific concerns, optimising your metabolism ensures those results are supported and sustained for the long term. Optimal skin care is more than skin deep.
By looking into and addressing the underlying systems in the body and paying attention to factors such as light exposure, nutrition, activity, and sleep, you can untangle a complex network of cellular functions that provide system wide improvement to health, longevity, resilience and youth.
References:
Chandel, N. S. (2015). "Evolution of mitochondria as signalling organelles." Cell Metabolism.
Gkouvatsos, K., & Zacharioudakis, E. (2021). "Mitochondria in Skin Health and Disease." Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.
Yin, L., Morita, A., & Tsuji, T. (2010). "Skin metabolism: A key factor in skin ageing and barrier function." International Journal of Cosmetic Science.
Hamblin, M. R. (2017). "Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation." AIMS Biophysics.