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.

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Reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, GMC 5204600, Medical Consultant. Last reviewed 6 Aug 2026.

Cross-section diagram of the four layers of skin: epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous SMAS, and deep fat and bone, each labelled with the treatments suited to it.

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 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

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

The science

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	Observ Analysis Facials Chemical Peels Lumecca IPL LED Therapy
Dermal quality and regeneration	Crepey skin, loss of bounce, poor hydration, fine crinkling	Profhilo HA Skin Booster Polynucleotides PRP Exosome Therapy
Structural tightening and remodelling	Lower face softening, skin laxity, collagen depletion	Forma RF Fractora SkinPen Plasma Pen
Selective volume	True volume loss remaining after quality and support are addressed	Dermal Fillers

Featured treatments

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 £250 Dermal quality

Polynucleotides

DNA-fragment regenerative treatment using Croma Polyphil by Croma Pharma.

From £195 Dermal quality

PRP

Uses your own growth factors to support tissue repair. Available for facial skin quality and hair restoration.

From £250 Dermal quality

Exosome Therapy

BLESKIN EXXO via Glo Skin Beauty UK&I. May support skin recovery. The evidence is early-stage.

From £450 Structural

Forma RF

Non-ablative radiofrequency that heats collagen fibres to produce immediate tightening and longer-term remodelling.

From £120 Structural

Fractora RF Microneedling

Fractional radiofrequency delivered via a microneedle array. A medical procedure delivering controlled dermal injury for deep collagen remodelling.

Price at consultation Structural

SkinPen Microneedling

FDA-cleared and NICE-assessed microneedling device for collagen induction.

From £200 Structural

Plasma Pen (Plaxel+)

Plasma fibroblast treatment for non-surgical skin tightening.

From £70

Start 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.

Book Observ analysis. From £50

Common questions

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.