How to Reverse Skin Aging (2025)

[starspawn0]

Here’s a cool little video by Dr. Dray to tighten hand skin using sodium silicate gel (which looks to me like a film-forming agent):

- YouTube

The effect lasts several hours. I wouldn’t be surprised if a product with more involved chemistry could last days or weeks, even after showering.

[RapAdmin]

And the research and clinical validation on this Sodium Silicate gel:

I searched the scientific literature and patents; the verdict is: the evidence for sodium silicate (or related silicates) as a skin-health or tightening agent is very limited and mostly speculative, with more support in patents than in peer-reviewed clinical trials. Below is a breakdown of what is known, what’s claimed, and where the gaps lie.

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What is Sodium Silicate, and How It Might Be Proposed to Work in Skin

• Sodium silicate is a soluble silicate salt (often “water glass”) with chemical formula Na₂SiO₃ (or mixtures of silicates). It forms silicate networks, gels, and can act as a film former when dried.
• In topical cosmetic patents and formulations, sodium silicate is sometimes used in film-forming, contractile gels: after application and drying, the silicate film is proposed to contract, pulling the skin temporarily tight like a “second skin.” (Film contraction = mechanical tightening) (Justia Patents)
• Some patents (e.g. WO / US skin-tightening composition patents) include 0.5–4% sodium silicate by silica content in water gels or emulsions, and claim that their compositions contract 0.2–0.9 inches, smooth skin, form stable films, etc. (Google Patents)
• The patent literature also suggests that sodium silicate (or silicate + polyvalent silicate) film formers can transiently tighten the skin by adhesion + contraction, smoothing surface irregularities immediately upon drying. (Justia Patents)
• One U.S. patent notes sodium silicate has “dramatic, instant results” as a contractile film former, but also warns that films lose elasticity, whiten, crack, or peel over time. (Justia Patents)
• Another patent (US20170189298A1) describes formulations with sodium silicate that form persistent, elastic skin films when the pH is ~10–12. (Google Patents)

So the main mechanistic hypothesis is mechanical / film contraction — not deep remodeling of dermal collagen.

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What Clinical / Scientific Evidence Exists

I found very sparse peer-reviewed or clinical evidence supporting meaningful long-term skin-health or tightening benefits of sodium silicate.

Supporting/Indirect Evidence

• A review titled “Three clinical studies showing the anti-aging benefits of SS (sodium silicate)” is listed in PubMed (PMID 20883290). The summary says:

  “All three studies demonstrate the significant anti-aging effects of SS … benefits may derive from its intrinsic stratum corneum exfoliation effects.” (PubMed )
  But digging deeper:

  • The article is old and not well indexed; I could not locate the original full texts or strong randomized controls.
  • It suggests SS may exfoliate stratum corneum and produce visible smoothing, rather than deep dermal change.

• A 2025 clinical trial (cosmoderma.org) of Mesoporosil® (a silicate-containing supplement) reports improved skin firmness, hydration, elasticity over 12 weeks, with high satisfaction and safety. (Cosmoderma)

  • This is oral or nutritional silicate, not topical sodium silicate gel.
  • It doesn’t prove topical sodium silicate interacts with the skin in the same way.

• The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) “Amended Safety Assessment of Silica and Silicates” addresses safety of silicate and silica compounds in cosmetics. It notes that at high concentrations, some silicates (e.g. sodium metasilicate) can be irritating or corrosive, so concentrations must be managed. (CIR Safety)

• A patent for sodium silicate in skin-smoothing gels claims smoothing and contraction effects in vitro, but these are patent claims, not clinical trials. (Google Patents)

• In cosmetic industry reporting, sodium silicate is flagged as a “sneaky tightener” ingredient used in creams to create temporary tightening via film contraction (like “saran wrap”) — i.e. instant but transient tightening. (Cosmopolitan)

Limitations & Gaps

• No solid double-blind randomized controlled trials comparing sodium silicate gel vs placebo for improvements in elasticity, wrinkle depth, collagen density etc., were found in the literature search.
• The existing patents, while detailed, are not peer-reviewed evidence and often describe hypothetical or idealized contraction metrics, not long-term biological endpoints.
• The contraction effect is likely superficial and transient (as suggested in patents: films lose elasticity, crack, whiten over time) rather than sustained structural remodeling. (Justia Patents)
• Potential for skin irritation or adverse effects at higher concentrations: the safety review warns that sodium metasilicate is corrosive undiluted; silicates have dose-dependent irritation potential. (CIR Safety)

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Interpretation: What You Can Reasonably Expect

Given what we know:

Claim	Likelihood / Strength	Mechanism
Instant tightening / “pull” of skin	Moderate likelihood (short-term)	Film contraction: the gel dries and shrinks slightly, pulling superficial skin taut
Smoothing of fine lines	Low-moderate (visual smoothing)	The taut film hides micro-reliefs by flattening the surface; superficial effect
Long-term skin tightening / remodeling	Very low (no solid evidence)	No data supporting deep collagen induction or persistent dermal change
Hydration / barrier improvement	Low	Silicates do not inherently hold water like humectants; film may reduce TEWL modestly

Hence, sodium silicate gel may offer instant, superficial “tightening” or smoothing effect (a cosmetic effect), but there’s no strong clinical evidence it improves skin health (collagen, firmness) in a sustained way.

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If you like, I can try to dig further — locate obscure or non-English clinical trials of sodium silicate gels in dermatology, translate them, and report whether any show durable tightening beyond the film effect. Do you want me to dig that deeper?

[RapAdmin]

In her video above, Dr. Dray focuses on this product:

Peter Thomas Roth | Instant FIRMx® Temporary Eye Tightener |

https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Thomas-Roth-Instant-FIRMx/dp/B004P2LL2K/ref=sr_1_1

But you can also buy “sodium silicate” products that are much less expensive, and apparently used for different applications… that might also work…

[blsm]

https://bellafill.com/bellafill-cosmetic/

I was curious if anyone here has experience with BellaFill to share?

[AlexKChen]

does anyone know how to “fill up” nasolabial folds?

2) Devices that thicken and tighten (no volume added)

Good for microscopic descent and laxity when you’re not ready for filler.

• RF microneedling (Genius, Morpheus8, Potenza): stimulates collagen/elastin in dermis; improves texture and firmness. Expect 2–3 sessions, 4–6 weeks apart.
• Micro-focused ultrasound (Sofwave/Ultherapy light passes): collagen tightening in the SMAS/dermis. One session, results over 3–6 months.
• Monopolar RF (Thermage FLX): global tightening; subtle but camera-visible.

These won’t “lift” 0.3 mm like a car jack, but they reduce sag signal by firming the “fabric” over the frame.

3) Add or restore volume where it actually helps

Tiny, targeted, and not in the crease itself.

• Hyaluronic acid filler (e.g., Voluma/Volux/Restylane Contour) placed deep:
  • Planes: supraperiosteal lateral zygoma and deep medial cheek fat to re-support the ogee curve.
  • Amounts: often 0.3–0.8 mL per side to correct a subtle change. Micro-aliquots with a cannula. Goal is light redirection, not chipmunk cosplay.
  • Longevity: ~9–18 months.
• Biostimulators if you want “volume via collagen”:
  • PLLA (Sculptra): 2–3 sessions, 6–8 weeks apart; builds your own collagen over months for a gentle, durable lift.
  • Hyperdilute CaHA (Radiesse): more collagen stimulation than bulk; improves firmness and skin quality.

4) When to consider fat

• Micro-fat/nano-fat grafting if you’re already very lean or want a longer-term solution. Overkill for 0.3 mm unless you’re doing other work.

5) Things that sound smart but don’t help much

• “Cheek exercises,” gum marathons, facial yoga. You’ll carve dynamic lines and stress ligaments. Hard pass.
• Slapping filler directly into the nasolabial crease as a first move. Modern approach supports the midface above and lateral so the fold softens naturally.

Safety notes, especially important for Asian faces

• Preserve the ogee curve and midface balance; avoid medial overfill that widens the midface or blunts delicate contours.
• Demand an injector who uses cannula in high-risk zones and understands the angular/infraorbital vessels. Vascular occlusion is not a cute plot twist.

[starspawn0]

I was thinking about aged skin, and how to tighten it (not change the 3d structure – add or remove volume – just firm it up). This is not advice for something to try. It could be dangerous if you did. Instead, think of it as stuff to search for – I.e. look for products that are shown to be SAFE, that use similar mechanisms.

Ok, it all started when I watched this video about how to make bioplastics in your kitchen (very cool video!):

Radiative Cooling Aerogel from Potatoes (and other DIY bioplastics)

It got me to thinking that if you could somehow increase the cross-linking of collagen fibers just below the surface of the skin, then it should tighten things up (I think, anyhow). Plasticizers like glycerin and honey work opposite a cross-linking agent; so, it might be bad for firming skin if honey were to penetrate too deeply into skin.

Tannins are apparently a good cross-linking agent. They can be found in black teas in high amounts. But they are large molecules, so won’t penetrate skin easily without a carrier agent. Urea is one such agent, DMSO is a more potent one.

If one could get tannins (in very small amounts) into skin, it probably wouldn’t work to cross-link passively; you’'d need to shake or massage the skin with like a massage gun or something. And you’d probably need to repeat it several times before you start to see an effect.

Now here’s the dangerous part: tea is “dirty”, and you don’t want all the stuff in it deep into your skin. If you want something like this to work, it would have to be medical-grade, and tested in clinical trials to be safe. I don’t happen to know of any procedures where something like this has been tried; but they may exist for all I know.

Once again, please don’t try this!

[LaraPo]

You could try Thermage which is a non-invasive skin tightening treatment that uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to stimulate collagen production deep within the skin.

[starspawn0]

I don’t think that actually works – maybe very mild. Increasing collagen doesn’t address the cross-linking problem. I guess the hope is that the body would fix this on its own, if you increase the supply of collagen; but it’s not a given.

Anyways, I personally don’t have much to worry about at the moment; but in 5 to 10 years… I’m not so sure (given what I see the typical skin of people in their 60s looks like).

Addendum; A paper on the effects of Tannic acid on cross-linking in sheep skin:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0142961296002025

The degree of cross-linking was proportional to the uptake of tannic acid, which varied between 6 and 35 wt%.

Also, I asked Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro to confirm my suspicions about the necessity of cross-linking for firm skin:

‎Gemini - Collagen Crosslinking and Skin Laxity

You are correct. A lack of normal, healthy collagen crosslinking is a key reason for skin becoming loose, fragile, and overly stretchy.

This process is central to the structure and integrity of your skin. Here’s a detailed breakdown of why this happens.

[RapAdmin]

What Are Exosomes, The Lastest Skincare Ingredient Exciting Dermatologists?

Experts are whispering that this could be skincare’s newest fountain of youth.

Dermatologists Are Buzzing About A New Ingredient That Can Reverse Nearly...

The long and the short of it is…no. We don’t yet have enough scientific evidence to say with confidence that exosomes can significantly benefit the appearance of the skin. And there’s not yet a consensus on which sources of exosomes are best for which cosmetic outcomes, Dr. Eber says.

Here’s why there’s still lots of uncertainty: For one, a majority of the research investigating exosomes in cosmetics are animal studies or studies that involve human cells in a petri dish, not real humans. And while the results of those studies are indeed helpful, they’re not enough to confirm how safe and effective exosomes are when people use them, according to that 2025 review. And when it comes to the human studies that do exist, many of them include a small number of participants, which makes it difficult to draw any hard and fast conclusions. “There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Dr. Kaminer says.

There’s also a major lack of standardization when it comes to how, exactly, exosomes are harvested and used in research and cosmetics, Dr. Garibyan says. For instance, in the lab, there’s no singular gold-standard way to isolate exosomes from other “debris” that cells can release, Dr. Wyles explains. This can make it difficult to differentiate between exosomes and other materials of a similar size such as viruses, Dr. Eber adds. It also makes it difficult to differentiate between exosomes containing helpful information and ones containing potentially harmful messages. “It’s really hard to filter out just the exosomes” that you want, Dr. Wyles says.

[relaxedmeatball]

As someone on the Editorial board of an EV journal, I highly advise against using any sort of “exosome” treatments on yourself. The cosmetic products do not have cGMP manufacture, they don’t have defined critical quality attributes. You simply don’t know the safety. For anything topical (serums to go on the skin) they likely don’t penetrate. If you disrupt the skin barrier (micro needling, or injection) there are plenty of case reports and news articles out there of things going horribly wrong with exosome treatments. I won’t dig up the pictures here, but there are people who ended up with permanent scarring, a few people who have died from sepsis etc. It’s not worth it.

[starspawn0]

Abstract of a paper from South Korea (not in a great journal, but might lead somewhere; and it’s probably not even that original as far as skin applications are concerned):

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/19/5788

(Note that it’s a porcine model, not human-tested.)

This study aimed to prove that RFP [riboflavin phosphate] combined with blue light (BL) can increase collagen crosslinking density, improving its mechanical properties in skin tissue and enhancing skin elasticity. We confirmed the RFP-induced photo-crosslinking in pure collagen by studying changes in its dynamic modulus and matrix morphology using collagen hydrogels. We also measured the changes in the mechanical properties after applying photo-crosslinking on porcine skin. The Young’s modulus (1.07 ± 0.12 MPa) and tensile strength (11.04 ± 1.06 MPa) of the porcine skin after photo-crosslinking were 2.8 and 3.5 times better compared to those of normal porcine skin, respectively.

[Beth]

Just sharing:

FDA Warns of Serious Complications Associated With Radiofrequency...

[LukeMV]

I started seeing a nurse practitioner who gives patients exosomes for their skin. Obviously, she is biased so she thinks it’s great but I just sent her that to see what she thinks.

[RapAdmin]

Stimulation of Cytoglobin Expression and Improvement in ROS-Related Aging Markers in Skin Cells with Tropaeolum majus Extract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction play a major role in skin aging. Due to Tropaeolum majus’ suggested protective actions against ROS, a link between T. majus extract and increased cytoglobin (CYGB) expression was evaluated for cultured skin cells. Human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes were treated with 0.5% v/v T. majus extract and the effect of this treatment on the expression of CYGB and on a range of cellular markers of aging were evaluated. In fibroblasts, the treatment with the extract was associated with an increase in CYGB levels. It also decreased ROS concentrations, improved the function of mitochondria, and stimulated the synthesis of collagen and elastin. Moreover, it downregulated a set of genes controlling the terminal differentiation of keratinocytes. T. majus extract activates oxygen transport within natural killer cells and thus enhances their activity, suggesting a potential senolytic effect. This extract seemed to exert a protective effect on various aging pathways such as ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and collagen homeostasis, playing a promising role against skin aging.

Open access paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/12/5/230

Brief AI Summary:

Here’s a summary of the paper “Stimulation of Cytoglobin Expression and Improvement in ROS-Related Aging Markers in Skin Cells with Tropaeolum majus Extract” (Cosmetics 2025) and details on the dosing/frequency and effect sizes they observed.

Summary

The study investigates how an extract of Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium) enriched in arabinogalactans (prepared by the company SILAB) acts on skin-cells (human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes) in vitro with respect to aging-related pathways. MDPI

Key points:

• Aging of skin is associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial dysfunction, and breakdown of extracellular matrix (ECM: collagen & elastin) in fibroblasts and keratinocytes. MDPI+2MDPI+2
• The protein cytoglobin (CYGB) is up-regulated by the extract, and CYGB is proposed to help reduce ROS, support oxygen delivery and protect mitochondria. MDPI
• The extract treatment reduced ROS levels (both cytosolic and mitochondrial), improved mitochondrial respiration and ATP production, increased cell proliferation, and significantly boosted collagen and elastin synthesis in fibroblasts. In keratinocytes, it also modulated gene expression—down-regulating genes involved in terminal differentiation/cornified envelope formation. MDPI
• They also evaluated immune cells (NK cells) under hypoxic conditions: the extract restored NK cell activity (which declines under hypoxia) by 84 %. MDPI
• The authors conclude that T. majus extract may help protect against skin aging by reducing ROS, improving mitochondrial function, boosting ECM synthesis and promoting more regenerative keratinocyte states. MDPI

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Dosing/Frequency

Because this is an in vitro (cell culture) study, “dosing” refers to concentration in the culture medium; “frequency” is how often the treatment was applied. (No clinical human dosing was used.)

Source:

T. majus extract enriched in arabinogalactanes was prepared by Silab (Silab, Saint-Viance, France), as described in this patent (FR2965483).

Availability:

Tropaeolum majus Extract / Nasturtium Extract is widely available from resellers on the internet if people want to try this:

ChatGPT5 Prompt:

Please identify and list 20 good value, higher volume (2 ounces or more) Nasturtium Extract serums or tinctures, identifying the percent nasturtium extract of each product, and with a priority on the lowest cost per 100ML products

CGPT5 Response:

Here’s a curated list of 20 higher-volume (≥2 oz / ~60 ml) nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) extract tinctures/serums, prioritized toward lowest cost per 100 ml. When makers specify strength, I list the declared extract ratio or percent; if they don’t disclose it, I note “not disclosed.” Prices and sizes are straight from the product pages.

Quick read: the absolute value standouts are Helios Holland 100 ml (€5.95) and Schrocky Mountain Farm 4.2 oz ($15.83 ≈ $12.8/100 ml). Several Czech brands (Topvet / Green Idea / Dr. Max) also run ~159–220 CZK per 100 ml (very good).

Full response:

ChatGPT - Nasturtium extract tinctures list

CGPT Prompt:

Please provide an analysis and summary of this patent from Silab: patent FR2965483

Response:

Here’s a crisp, practical read-out of FR2965483 (SILAB) — “Cosmetic use of a Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium) extract as an active for promoting oxygenation of skin tissue.”

What the patent claims (in plain English)

• Purpose / use-claim: Using a nasturtium extract as a cosmetic active to improve skin oxygenation. The mechanism emphasized is (a) restoring hypoxic stress response (via HIF-1α induction) and/or (b) facilitating intracellular oxygen diffusion (via upregulating cytoglobin). Google Patents
• Composition range: Topical compositions containing the active at 0.01–20 wt% of the finished product. Patent Images
• Nature of the active: An extract enriched in arabinogalactans (low DP 2–6), and depleted in polyphenols (< 0.2% of dry matter). The extract is preferably obtained by aqueous extraction of aerial parts. Typical analytics: dry matter 10–55 g/L; total sugars 2–16 g/L (≈14–46% of dry matter); uronic acids 3–5% of dry matter. Google Patents

How they make it (extraction outline)

• Process (example):
  1. Solubilize powder of aerial parts of T. majus in water (e.g., 100 g/kg);
  2. Separate soluble/insoluble phases;
  3. Remove polyphenols by adsorption to get < 0.2% polyphenols;
  4. Filter, optionally decolorize/deodorize, then sterile filtration. Google Patents+1

Evidence provided in the patent

• In vitro (aging fibroblasts): Fractions tested at 0.25% under hypoxia show induction of HIF-1α (restored hypoxic response) and support for cytoglobin synthesis (oxygen trafficking). The active fraction is the neutral carbohydrate (arabinogalactan-rich) fraction. Patent Images
• In vivo (cosmetic study): 28-day, twice-daily facial application of an emulsion with 3% nasturtium extract (vs placebo). The a* colorimetric parameter (redness/rosiness linked to oxygenation) increased by +9.5% versus placebo, interpreted as improved oxygenation/complexion radiance.

Practical formulation guidance inferred from the text

• Dosage in finished products: 0.01–20% (the human in-vivo example used 3% in an emulsion, bid x 28 days).

Sources

Short answer: I couldn’t find any commercially sold, consumer-facing products that publicly state their formula is an emulsion containing exactly 3% nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) extract. Brands virtually never disclose the exact % of a single botanical—SILAB’s OXYGESKIN® has a recommended use level of 1–3% in finished formulas, but the specific % used by any brand is typically undisclosed. (SILAB)

That said, here are products that explicitly claim to use OXYGESKIN® / Tropaeolum majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract (so they’re plausible candidates to be in the 1–3% window), with current pricing and size. I’m flagging the concentration as “% not disclosed” because none of these pages publish an exact percentage:

Product	Format	Declared % of nasturtium/OXYGESKIN	Size	Price	Notes / Source
G.M. Collin Puractive+ Cream	Emulsion cream	Not disclosed	1.7 oz (50 ml)	$68	Product page lists Oxygeskin® (Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract) among key ingredients. ([G.M. COLLIN® Skincare
Beauty Pie Superdrops Brightening Niacinamide	Serum (not an emulsion)	Not disclosed	30 ml	£15 (member price)	Third-party review cites “10% niacinamide + Oxygeskin”; Beauty Pie doesn’t publish the % of Oxygeskin. (The Sun)
CARELIKA Blue Light Protection Spray (with OXYGESKIN®)	Mist/spray (not an emulsion)	Not disclosed	50 ml	Price varies by distributor	Several reseller pages say the spray “contains OXYGESKIN®”; no usage % is shown. (Carelika Professional Skin Care USA)
Institut’ DERMed Bio-Derm Oxygen (pro facial kit)	Pro treatment kit (contains multiple products)	Not disclosed	Kit (multiple items)	$99 (launch price)	Brand states this professional facial incorporates OXYGESKIN®; individual product % not given. (Institut Dermed)

Note: $9 serum with OXYGESKIN®:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/167609498580?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=167609498580&targetid=2435444093014&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031959&poi=&campaignid=22900655222&mkgroupid=184692222660&rlsatarget=pla-2435444093014&abcId=10415523&merchantid=6296724&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=22900655222&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh9f2OfK8JJ6bnNpaxjQkdyyV&gclid=CjwKCAjwgeLHBhBuEiwAL5gNER0vvza51dVW-UJoj150aT5LM0SxRIWjEfzxnqtBN3z6nLoOSxPIQxoC0AwQAvD_BwE

ChatGPT - Skincare products with Oxygeskin