Biohacking has gone from a niche wellness trend to a serious science-backed approach to optimising how we age, and skincare is no exception. The concept is simple: instead of just treating your skin from the outside, you work on improving how it functions from within. In other words, you make your skin smarter, not just prettier.

As an aesthetic doctor, I see biohacking as the natural next step in skincare evolution. It’s about understanding how your cells behave, how they repair, and how we can influence those processes to perform more like they did when we were younger. So, how do you biohack your skin effectively? Let’s explore the most promising tools, ingredients, and treatments that can help your skin operate at its biological best.

Understanding the science of skin biohacking

At its core, biohacking is about improving cellular efficiency. When it comes to skin, that means encouraging better energy production, stronger repair mechanisms, and more resilient barrier function. As we age, our cells lose some of their natural ability to renew and regenerate. The key to biohacking your skin lies in finding ways to restore these processes at the molecular level, essentially turning the clock back on how your cells behave.

Some of this comes from lifestyle (think sleep, nutrition, and stress management), but much of it can now be influenced with intelligent skincare and advanced supplements.

Epigenetic skincare: Rewriting how your skin behaves

Epigenetics refers to the way our genes are expressed, it’s like the operating system that tells your skin cells how to perform. Over time, environmental stressors, hormonal changes, and UV damage can “turn down” the expression of genes responsible for collagen production, barrier repair, and antioxidant defence. Epigenetic skincare aims to reverse that decline by nudging those gene expressions back into a more youthful state.

Look for ingredients like niacinamide, retinoids, peptides, growth factors, bakuchiol, resveratrol, and ferulic acid. These are scientifically proven to upregulate the skin’s natural repair pathways. By encouraging better collagen synthesis and cellular turnover, they help skin behave younger, not just look it.

The goal of epigenetic skincare isn’t a quick fix, it’s cellular reprogramming over time. With consistency, you’ll see stronger, firmer, more resilient skin that feels genuinely rejuvenated from within.

Regenerative medicine: biohacking from the inside out

True skin optimisation goes beyond topical products. In recent years, regenerative injectables have become one of the most exciting ways to biohack skin health at the cellular level. Treatments such as MCT Plasma, polynucleotides, and biostimulators like Julaine or Sunekos work by awakening your skin’s natural repair systems, triggering it to produce more collagen, elastin, and extracellular matrix proteins.

MCT Plasma, in particular, represents a major leap forward. It’s a regenerative treatment that uses plasma rich in growth factors and bioactive proteins to stimulate tissue renewal and enhance skin healing. It promotes better circulation, boosts fibroblast activity and supports new collagen formation, leading to smoother, firmer, more resilient skin.

Boosting cellular energy with NAD+

One of the most exciting developments in the world of biohacking is Nuchido Time+, a clinically formulated supplement designed to boost your body’s levels of NAD+, a molecule that’s fundamental to cellular repair, energy, and longevity.

NAD+ levels decline significantly with age, by as much as 50% every 20 years. This decline impacts every cell in your body, including your skin. Lower NAD+ means slower healing, reduced collagen synthesis, and increased oxidative stress, all key contributors to visible ageing.

Nuchido Time+ helps to restore and maintain youthful NAD+ levels by supporting your body’s natural production pathways, rather than just adding NAD+ directly (which is less effective). It’s a smart, science-led approach that targets the root cause of cellular ageing.

When your cells have more energy, everything works better: repair mechanisms accelerate, inflammation decreases, and collagen-producing fibroblasts stay active for longer. Many of my patients notice improvements in energy, clarity and focus alongside healthier, more resilient skin – proof that great skin truly starts from the inside.

Peptides: Intelligent communicators for the skin

Peptides are one of the unsung heroes of biohacking skincare. These short chains of amino acids act as messengers, sending signals that tell the skin to repair, firm, and hydrate. They can encourage collagen synthesis, improve barrier function, and even mimic the effects of retinoids without irritation.

Think of them as tiny data packets that train your skin to self-correct. When incorporated into serums or moisturisers, peptides work synergistically with ingredients like antioxidants and hyaluronic acid to optimise how your skin responds to daily stressors.

For anyone looking to biohack their skin barrier or support long-term firmness, peptide-rich formulations are a must.

DNA testing: Customising your biohacking plan

If you want to take a data-driven approach to skincare, DNA analysis is one of the most cutting-edge tools available. Certain direct-to-consumer DNA tests can provide insight into how your skin behaves at a genetic level, identifying predispositions like reduced collagen turnover, increased pigmentation risk, or slower antioxidant activity.

These insights can help guide your skincare strategy. For example, if your DNA shows a tendency toward lower natural collagen production, you can prioritise treatments that stimulate fibroblasts, such as biostimulators or microneedling. Similarly, if pigmentation is your weak spot, you can focus on brightening actives like vitamin C and tranexamic acid early on.

It’s not about treating what you don’t have yet, it’s about prevention, fine-tuning, and staying one step ahead.

Photoprotection: The ultimate biohack

No amount of epigenetic skincare or cellular supplementation will matter without consistent UV protection. Photoprotection remains the cornerstone of any biohacked skincare routine. Modern “long-life” SPFs are particularly interesting here – they’re formulated with photostable filters and encapsulated systems that maintain protection for longer, making reapplication easier and more effective.

These advanced sunscreens protect not just against UV, but also blue light and infrared damage, all of which accelerate oxidative stress and collagen breakdown. If you want your skin’s cellular defences to stay strong, sun protection is your most reliable ally.

Light therapy: Energising skin at the mitochondrial level

Red and near-infrared light therapy is another fascinating area of skin biohacking. These wavelengths penetrate deep into the skin, stimulating mitochondria (the energy factories of cells) to produce more ATP, the energy currency that powers repair and regeneration.

Used regularly, red light therapy can improve collagen production, reduce inflammation, and accelerate wound healing. At home LED masks are not as powerful as in clinic LED treatments, however can complement what you are doing in clinic. The Current Body second generation mask has more bulbs than other masks and fits closely to the face. It operates at clinically validated wavelengths (around 630-635nm for red light and 810-830nm for near-infrared).

Think of it as a workout for your skin’s metabolism, it strengthens performance over time.

The future of biohacked skin

True skin biohacking isn’t about chasing the newest gadget or miracle ingredient. It’s about understanding your biology and working with it to improve resilience, energy, and longevity. When you combine smart skincare, advanced supplementation, and evidence-based technology, you create an environment where your skin functions at its peak potential.

For me, biohacking represents a new era in aesthetics—one where the focus shifts from simply correcting ageing to actively optimising health and performance at the cellular level. Whether it’s through Nuchido Time+, epigenetic skincare, or energy-boosting LED treatments, the goal is the same: stronger, healthier, more adaptable skin that continues to look and feel its best for years to come.