Unlocking the Power of Regenerative Medicine: A New Era in Aesthetics and Wellness

At View Laser Skin Rejuvenation, we believe that true beauty and wellness come from within. While cosmetic medicine has traditionally focused on surface-level treatments, the future of aesthetics and wellness lies in regenerative medicine—the body's natural ability to heal, restore, and rejuvenate itself. This approach is already changing the way we think about and care for our skin, joints, and overall health.

The Science Behind Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine is built on the premise that the body possesses the ability to repair itself. Through the use of therapies such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF), growth factors, exosomes, hormone replacement therapy, and stem cell treatments we can enhance the body's healing processes and improve both function and aesthetics.

Dr. Martin Ray, View Laser Skin Rejuvenation Owner and Medical Director, explains this concept with a simple yet effective analogy:

"Think of taking care of your lawn. You can fight disease by spraying chemicals to kill weeds, or pulling weeds manually, which is essentially medicine and surgery, or you can use natural products and nourish the grass from the roots up—because healthy grass prevents weeds from growing. The same principle applies to skin health and overall wellness. Instead of just treating diseases, we must focus on optimizing the body's natural ability to heal."

Healthy grass prevents weeds , much like healthy skin prevents disease.

According to Dr. Ray, the model for skincare must focus on overall wellness through comprehensive treatment plans, not condition or disease mitigation. While traditional medical practice has been diagnosing diseases and conditions then treating them with medicines, antibiotics and surgeries, cell therapies represent a great opportunity for the future of our ability to heal ourselves with our own cells.

PRP and PRF: Harnessing Your Own Blood for Healing

One of the most effective treatments in regenerative medicine is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and its counterpart, Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF). These treatments involve drawing a patient's blood, spinning it down to concentrate platelets, which release growth factors that stimulate cellular repair and rejuvenation. Growth factors signal, recruit, and activate your skin’s regenerative process, resulting in healthier, smoother, thicker, and tighter skin.

When properly processed, PRP and PRF can:

• Improve skin texture and elasticity

• Accelerate healing after laser treatments

• Reduce dark circles and improve undereye skin

• Stimulate hair growth

• Enhance healing in orthopaedic conditions like osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, and muscle tears

Not all PRP treatments are created equal. Dr. Ray cautions that there are a multitude of different ways to process PRP, many of which do not yield optimal—or any—results.

"For PRP to be truly effective, it needs to have a high concentration of platelets, low leukocytes, and no red blood cells," he explains. "Clinical studies are lacking and don’t always define the process used for creation. Only a handful of processes on the market can produce clinically significant PRP and PRF."

The Future of Stem Cells and Exosomes

Stem cells and exosomes are at the forefront of regenerative medicine. Stem cells have already demonstrated the ability to regenerate tissue, and in the future, they could potentially be used to heal chronic diseases, regrow organs, and even cure cancer. However, due to strict regulatory limitations in Canada, stem cell treatments remain unavailable, creating a gap in care.

Exosomes—small vesicles released by stem cells—are an exciting development in regenerative aesthetics. While human-derived exosomes cannot be used in Canada, plant-based versions are available for topical skin applications.

"They're popular right now," says Dr. Ray, "but we need to balance enthusiasm with scientific scrutiny to ensure their efficacy and safety and manage expectations when it comes to results."

Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Overlooked Key to Wellness

Regenerative medicine isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about optimizing overall health. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a critical component, particularly for women entering menopause.

"Women lose a significant amount of their collagen in the first year of menopause and this continues year after year," Dr. Ray explains. "Bone mass is similarly affected, losing 4% in the first year and 1% each year after. Without hormones, even the best aesthetic treatments may not deliver the full benefit."

Despite a wealth of evidence supporting HRT, many doctors remain hesitant to prescribe it.

"I see five patients every day who would very likely benefit from hormone replacement, but the consistent story seems to be that their doctors don’t support it. Given what we know today, I think this is unfortunate. The majority of men and women will benefit from appropriate lifelong hormone replacements," says Dr. Ray.

For women, a combination of estrogen, progestin, and sometimes testosterone—administered in bioidentical and customized doses—can improve energy levels, mental clarity, skin health, and bone density. Men can also benefit from carefully monitored testosterone therapy, but overuse has led to concerns about improper prescribing practices.

However, things may be changing for the better, as BC will now provide free treatment of menopausal symptoms with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with universal, single payer, first dollar coverage.

A Holistic Approach to Skin Health

At View Laser, we believe in treating the skin as part of a comprehensive wellness model rather than just mitigating disease. Every condition we see—rosacea, sun damage, aging skin—can be improved with a regenerative and holistic approach. By integrating PRP, growth factors, hormone optimization, and more with aesthetic treatments like RF microneedling, high-frequency ultrasound, and CO2 laser therapy, we can not only improve healing and recovery, but also achieve transformative results that go beyond temporary fixes.

A healthy diet, exercise, and other positive lifestyle choices play into skin and overall health as well. At View Laser we also offer supplementary products like nitric oxide (N1O1) in the form of lozenges and topical cream, which are beneficial for anyone with cardiovascular or inflammatory conditions.

Nitric oxide has been clinically shown to support healthy heart and other cardiovascular function, healthy blood flow and blood pressure, antioxidant protection against the oxidative effects of free radicals, and also has a subtle but effective benefit for sexual health.

Looking Ahead

Regenerative medicine represents an incredible opportunity to harness the body's own healing potential. As research advances, we may soon see breakthroughs that allow us to cure chronic diseases, heal injuries more effectively, and revolutionize the way we approach both medicine and aesthetics.

"I certainly see within the next five years the capacity for us to cure chronic disease with cell therapies," says Dr. Ray, who has been attending Cell Surgical Network conferences in California for nearly ten years. "I am certified to perform stem cell treatments, but unfortunately Health Canada doesn’t allow me to provide this valuable service at this time. It’s still exciting, and the growth of information and knowledge is impressive, as we’re only just beginning to unlock the full potential of regenerative medicine."

At View Laser, we offer cutting-edge treatments that not only enhance beauty but also promote long-term wellness. And we are, of course, committed to patient safety above all. If you're interested in learning more about regenerative medicine and how it can benefit you, we invite you to contact us to schedule a consultation.