Sculpt and glow: How collagen-stimulating treatment aims to define and brighten your face

Have you noticed that your face is not as firm and lifted as it once was? Sagging skin, the deepening of laugh lines and a hollow appearance all signal collagen loss, which leads to a decline in facial volume — an inevitable part of ageing.

While energy-based devices (EBD) such as radio frequency and ultrasound can help tighten skin and provide some lift, they cannot restore volume loss. These treatments are also more effective as a preventive measure for maintaining skin firmness at a younger age, says Dr Wong Kee Seng, medical director at

Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic

.

Traditional dermal

fillers

can offer quicker results and are commonly used to address visible signs of ageing. They focus on filling the central areas – the cheeks,

under-eyes

, lips and laugh lines – by injecting hyaluronic acid (HA) to create volume, which can sometimes lead to an overly plump or puffy look, notes Dr Wong. 

The

Ellanse

Lady Heart injectable takes another approach – by reinforcing the face’s outer framework instead, using a liquid collagen stimulator. 

“The outer facial contour – the temples, side of the face, jawline and chin – has less fat and muscle but a stronger SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system). This is a layer of tissue in your face that sits between your skin and the deeper muscles and bones and keeps your facial structure in place,” explains Dr Wong. 

“Instead of filling the middle, the Lady Heart treatment uses the Ellanse collagen stimulator in the outer edges for a more natural-looking lift that enhances definition without excessive volume. Think of it like strengthening the poles of a tent.”

 Long-term collagen regeneration

According to Dr Wong, the main difference between traditional fillers and Ellanse Lady Heart is how they work.

“Most HA fillers work by replacing lost volume, but they lack collagen stimulation, which is essential for skin tightening and improving texture over time,” explains Dr Wong. “The Ellanse Lady Heart’s dual-action approach not only restores volume but also promotes long-term collagen regeneration to restore a lifted, youthful appearance.”

Seventy per cent of Ellanse contains carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) gel, which plumps the skin, restoring lost fullness in areas where collagen has depleted over time. The remaining 30 per cent is made up of polycaprolactone microspheres, which stimulate the body’s collagen production over three to six months.  

“As the CMC gel dissolves, the newly generated collagen replaces it, resulting in firmer, lifted skin with a more natural and long-lasting effect,” says Dr Wong. 

This gradual transformation helps to ensure the results blend seamlessly with the patient’s facial structure, avoiding an overly plumped look or filler migration – which happens when a dermal filler moves away from its original placement leading to unwanted lumps, uneven contours or an unnatural appearance. 

“The focus is on lifting and contouring, not just adding volume,” adds Dr Wong.

A typical Lady Heart session begins with the application of a numbing cream, which is left on for 20 minutes. The actual injection process, which generally involves 2ml to 6ml of Ellanse, takes approximately 10 minutes. . On average, a full-face treatment requires at least 6ml of Ellanse.

For patients concerned about overfilled or unnatural-looking results, Dr Wong suggests gradual treatment. Instead of receiving the full 6ml in one session, they can split the treatment into two or three sessions, spaced two to three months apart. Only 2ml to 3ml of Ellanse is injected per session, allowing the results to develop progressively and naturally.

Following the procedure, mild swelling, redness and facial discomfort can be expected for one to two days. “Bruises on the face may occur but will typically disappear within a week,” adds Dr Wong.

He says patients can resume their normal daily activities immediately, but to avoid exercising for at least three days to minimise the risk of bruising and swelling. Additionally, patients should wait for at least 24 hours before applying make-up to allow the needle marks to close properly and reduce the risk of irritation.

Improved skin texture

Shortly after the procedure, Dr Wong says sunken areas on the face will appear more filled. Over the next three to six months, these areas will firm up and an improvement in skin texture can be noticed as the collagen-stimulating effects take hold. “The entire face will appear lifted, brighter, and more refreshed,” he adds.

Each Ellanse session provides results that last from one to three years, depending on the subtype used. At Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic, Dr Wong uses the Ellanse M as it lasts longer, for two to three years, compared with Ellanse S, which lasts about one year.

For enhanced collagen stimulation, Dr Wong recommends pairing Ellanse Lady Heart with EBD treatments such as Ultherapy Prime, Thermage or Oligio. These procedures should be spaced at least one month apart to allow optimal collagen production and treatment efficacy.

Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic has been offering Ellanse since the treatment’s launch in Singapore in 2016, and Dr Wong has served as a regional trainer for Ellanse since 2017, teaching other medical doctors on how to administer it. The treatment is most commonly sought after by patients between the ages of 30 and 60, with the clinic having treated around 3,000 clients. 

For more information or to book a consultation, visit

Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic.