The paint
Surface
Texture, tone, pigmentation and clarity. This layer responds well to skincare, peels, IPL and light-based treatments. It is the most visible and the most treatable.
Epidermis and skin surface
Skin Health
Skin Architecture
Understanding how skin ages beneath the surface.
Skin architecture is a clinical way of understanding that skin ages at several levels at once. Collagen, elastin and tissue quality change over time, affecting everything from surface texture to the structural support underneath. A skin health approach assesses all of those layers, not only what is visible, then plans treatment around them.
Reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, GMC 5204600, Medical Consultant. Last reviewed 2 Jun 2026.
What it means
Four layers. Four different kinds of change.
Think of skin the way you would think of a building. The paint on the walls is what you see first. How the building ages depends on far more than the paint. The same is true of skin.
The furniture
Dermal quality
Hydration, bounce and elasticity live in the dermis. When collagen and elastin fibres thin and disorganise, skin looks crepey, dull and less resilient, even without obvious lines.
Dermis, collagen and elastin network
The beams
Structural support
The SMAS and deeper connective tissue form the framework. As they loosen, the lower face softens and the midface descends. This layer needs active remodelling, not surface treatment.
SMAS, deeper connective tissue
The bricks
Volume and bone
Fat compartments deflate and bone gradually resorbs with age. Where true volume loss exists, selective replacement can restore proportion, but only after the layers above it have been addressed.
Fat compartments, facial skeleton
What changes with age, and when.
Skin collagen declines by roughly 1% a year from early adulthood. By the time the change is visible, it has usually been building quietly for years. Skin that looks fine at 35 may already have lost a meaningful share of its collagen density.
The rate accelerates around the menopause. Studies suggest about 30% of dermal collagen is lost in the first five years, alongside a marked drop in skin thickness, elasticity and wound-healing capacity.
These shifts happen at a cellular level before they reach the surface. That is why the most useful clinical approach starts by assessing what is happening beneath the skin. That is the purpose of a skin architecture consultation at LRC, including an assessment on the Observ 520.
Sources: Shuster, Black & McVitie, Br J Dermatol, 1975. Brincat, Maturitas, 2000.
~1%
Approximate annual decline in skin collagen from early adulthood.
Shuster, Black & McVitie, Br J Dermatol, 1975
~30%
Dermal collagen lost in the first five years after menopause.
Brincat, Maturitas, 2000
Our approach
How we approach skin health at LRC.
A skin architecture consultation begins by identifying which layer, or combination of layers, needs attention. The table below shows how each clinical layer maps to the treatment menu.
| Layer | What patients notice | LRC treatments |
|---|---|---|
| Surface polish | Uneven tone, dull complexion, redness, sun damage | |
| Dermal quality and regeneration | Crepey skin, loss of bounce, poor hydration, fine crinkling | |
| Structural tightening and remodelling | Lower face softening, skin laxity, collagen depletion | |
| Selective volume | True volume loss remaining after quality and support are addressed |
Treatments that address skin at a structural level.
Dermal quality
Profhilo Skin Booster
Bio-remodelling treatment that disperses through the dermis to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
From £170 Dermal qualityPolynucleotides
DNA-fragment regenerative treatment using Croma Polyphil by Croma Pharma.
From £200 Dermal qualityPRP
Uses your own growth factors to support tissue repair. Available for facial skin quality and hair restoration.
From £150 Dermal qualityExosome Therapy
BLESKIN EXXO via Glo Skin Beauty UK&I. May support skin recovery. The evidence is early-stage.
From £450 StructuralForma RF
Non-ablative radiofrequency that heats collagen fibres to produce immediate tightening and longer-term remodelling.
From £100 StructuralFractora RF Microneedling
Fractional radiofrequency delivered via a microneedle array. A medical procedure delivering controlled dermal injury for deep collagen remodelling.
Price at consultation StructuralSkinPen Microneedling
FDA-cleared and NICE-assessed microneedling device for collagen induction.
From £180 StructuralPlasma Pen (Plaxel+)
Plasma fibroblast treatment for non-surgical skin tightening.
From £70Start here
See your skin architecture. Book an Observ skin analysis.
The Observ 520 uses multispectral imaging to reveal what is happening beneath the surface of your skin, including pigmentation, vascular activity and texture changes invisible to the naked eye.
Skin architecture, answered.
What is skin architecture?
Skin architecture is a clinical way of understanding that skin ages at several levels at once. Surface changes like pigmentation and texture show first, but beneath them collagen and elastin fibres thin and disorganise, fat compartments deflate and deeper support structures loosen. A skin architecture approach assesses all of these layers and plans treatment accordingly, rather than addressing only what is visible at the surface.
Do I need to be showing signs of ageing to benefit?
No. Structural changes begin before they are visible. Many patients in their late twenties and thirties benefit from a baseline assessment to understand the current quality and health of their skin, which can guide both home skincare and any clinical treatments. Prevention and maintenance at this stage tends to be simpler and less expensive than correction later.
How does LRC assess skin architecture?
Your consultation begins with an assessment on the Observ 520, a multispectral imaging system that photographs your skin under different light wavelengths to reveal pigmentation depth, vascular activity, surface texture and pore congestion. This is followed by a clinical conversation with your practitioner about your concerns, history and goals before any treatment is recommended.
Is skin architecture just a marketing term?
The underlying clinical concepts are well established. Collagen decline, fat compartment deflation and structural laxity are all documented physiological processes with published evidence. The term skin architecture groups these concepts to make them accessible and to explain why a plan often needs to address more than one level. It reflects how the clinical team thinks, not a product to sell.
Which layer should I start with?
This depends entirely on your skin and your goals. The Observ assessment and a clinical consultation will identify what is most relevant for you. As a general principle, investing in dermal quality before volume treatments often produces more natural and longer-lasting results, but there is no universal sequence. Your practitioner will build a plan specific to your skin.
Reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, Medical Consultant (GMC 5204600). Last reviewed 2 Jun 2026. The London Road Clinic, 65 London Road, Newark-on-Trent, NG24 1RZ. London Road Aesthetics Ltd, Company No. 14362347. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician before making any treatment decisions.
