Better Skin: What Skincare Can Do, and When Treatment Helps
If you have tried one expensive skincare product after another without seeing much change, you may wonder what actually makes skin better. Daily home care is best at protecting your skin; in-clinic treatment does more to replace lost hydration and collagen. They serve different purposes, and results tend to last longest when you combine them.
Where should you start?
A systematic review identified age, sex, ethnicity, air pollution, nutrition, smoking, and sun exposure as major factors in skin aging.[1] You cannot change your age or genetic background, but you can change your sun exposure, smoking, and diet.
Start with sun protection, quitting smoking, and enough sleep. Then build a gentle cleansing and moisturizing routine around those habits.
How do skincare and in-clinic treatments work together?
For each common concern, home care and clinical treatment have different roles.
| Concern | What home care can do | What treatment can add |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated, dry-feeling skin | Protect the barrier with moisturizer | Deliver hyaluronic acid directly into the skin |
| Rough texture and visible pores | Gentle exfoliation and sun protection | Resurface the epidermis and stimulate dermal repair |
| Loss of firmness and fine lines | Retinoids and sun protection | Reinforce the dermal structure that supports collagen |
| Dark spots and dullness | Sun protection and brightening ingredients | Lasers that target pigment |
Does sunscreen really slow aging and preserve firmness?
Yes. In a randomized study of 903 adults under 55, daily sunscreen users showed no detectable progression of skin aging over 4.5 years and had 24% less aging than those who used sunscreen only when they felt they needed it.[2] In the same study, beta-carotene supplements had no overall effect on skin aging. Applying plenty of sunscreen to your face and neck every morning, whatever the weather, is one of the simplest ways to care for aging skin.
How much can ingredients such as retinol help?
Among topical ingredients, the vitamin A derivative tretinoin has the strongest evidence for treating photoaging. A review of 25 studies comparing tretinoin with other topical ingredients treated it as the reference standard. The authors also noted that irritation can make continued use difficult and suggested precursors such as retinaldehyde for people who cannot tolerate it.[3]
Topical ingredients take months to work and cannot replace volume in sagging or hollow areas. Tretinoin is a prescription medicine, so discuss its use with a doctor.
What do treatments do for texture and firmness?
In-clinic treatments directly reach layers that skincare products struggle to access. HILO WAVE is a biostimulator made from a complex of high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid. Placed just beneath the skin, it addresses dehydration and encourages collagen production. Re2O introduces extracellular matrix (ECM), which supports collagen and elastin, into the dermis to reinforce the skin's structure. HALO combines a wavelength that gently resurfaces the epidermis with one that reaches the dermis, addressing texture, pores, and pigmentation.
In practice, HILO WAVE often suits patients whose skin feels tight from dehydration and who have little time for recovery. We tend to recommend Re2O first when volume loss makes the face look flat and pores and texture are also concerns. HALO is often a good fit when enlarged pores accompany dark spots and dullness. Even distribution is our main priority when injecting this biostimulator, because nodules usually develop where the product collects in one place. This can be easy to overlook without experience. We use small amounts at multiple points and adjust the volume for the face, neck, or hands.
When should you consider treatment, and how many sessions?
Treatment may be worth considering when dryness persists despite consistent skincare, makeup sits unevenly, or firmness has visibly declined. Manufacturer guidance suggests HILO WAVE at 3-month intervals and three Re2O sessions 4 weeks apart; for HALO, we generally start with 1–2 sessions. The actual number depends on your skin. We recommend completing three Re2O sessions because changes in firmness and texture become more apparent at 2–4 weeks; judging the result after one session is premature. Many HILO WAVE patients return at around 3 months because they want further improvement, rather than because their skin has returned to its starting point. We also see patients shortly before a photo shoot or important event. For an event the next day, we choose a combination designed to give an immediate improvement without swelling or redness. With a month to prepare, we work backward from the date to plan staged treatment. If pores are your main concern, see Enlarged Pores: How Much Can Treatment Help? for more information.
What does Dong-An Joongsim Clinic recommend for better skin?
At Dong-An Joongsim Clinic, a doctor personally handles your consultation and treatment. We assess whether the main issue is dehydration, loss of structural support, texture, or pigmentation before deciding what to do and in what order. One patient who booked HILO WAVE was advised to try a gentler treatment that better suited their concern. They later told us they no longer worried about their nasolabial folds.
Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho was recognized among HILO WAVE's Top Rankers for achieving a high treatment volume in the shortest period, and the clinic received a 2026 HILO WAVE USER TOP5 AWARD. Dr. Soyoun Koo presented strategies for Dual-HA collagen boosters at the Korean Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Society's 2026 spring meeting. We use HILO WAVE before laser or device treatments to prepare the skin and reduce concerns about post-treatment pigmentation and reactive redness. Because Re2O can be somewhat uncomfortable, we plan it alongside the gentler biostimulator to make the overall treatment easier to tolerate. One patient who received both said they were pleased to look naturally younger overall.
What should you know beforehand?
Results and how long they last vary with age, skin type, and lifestyle, whether you choose skincare, treatment, or both. Skin can be sensitive around laser treatment, so ask your medical team when to restart potentially irritating ingredients such as retinoids. We do not use HILO WAVE between the brows or around the eyes where skin is thin. Allow at least 1 month after filler in the same area. We always ask about medicines: we do not recommend HALO if you have taken isotretinoin in the past 6–12 months or currently take photosensitizing medicines or anticoagulants.
Better skin: common questions
How should I choose a skin clinic in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul?
Look for a clinic that assesses your skin and explains the different roles of home care and treatment, rather than recommending the same procedure to everyone. At Dong-An Joongsim Clinic, a doctor personally provides your consultation and treatment.
What is the easiest way to improve skin texture?
Use sunscreen every day and protect your skin barrier with gentle cleansing and moisturizing. Frequent scrubbing or strong peels can make texture worse.
Can I stop my skincare routine after a skin booster?
No. Skin boosters replenish the skin from within; sunscreen and moisturizer help protect that improvement. Using both helps results last longer.
Can I return to normal activities right away?
You can return to normal activities immediately after HILO WAVE. After HALO or Re2O, most patients are comfortable doing so the next day. Redness and swelling settle at different rates from person to person.
References
- Wong QYA et al., “Defining skin aging and its risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, Scientific Reports, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01573-z
- Hughes MCB et al., “Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial”, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2013. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002
- Siddiqui Z et al., “Comparing Tretinoin to Other Topical Therapies in the Treatment of Skin Photoaging: A Systematic Review”, American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-024-00893-w