Karisma RH Collagen: collagen your skin recognises as its own

There is one thing that changes in the skin before wrinkles become visible - before the skin begins to lose its former firmness and everything else we eventually notice in the mirror. That is collagen. Not as a buzzword from a cosmetics advert, but as a real, physical network of fibres that keeps the skin tight, compact and elastic. Collagen makes up 75% of the dry weight of the dermis - it is the literal architecture upon which everything rests.

For an overview of other products and how they differ, see our page about Collagen stimulators. The choice of treatment is determined after an examination and skin assessment.

After the age of forty, that architecture slowly begins to give way. Fibroblasts, the cells responsible for building and repairing collagen fibres, become less and less active. The signal for renewal weakens, the network gradually thins out, and the skin loses the structure it has taken for granted for years.

Karisma RH Collagen tackles this issue differently from anything we know as a conventional filler. It does not fill empty space with a gel or add volume where there is none. Instead, it introduces something that fibroblasts instantly recognise as familiar – the building block of their own type I collagen – and thereby restores the activity that slowed down with age. The skin receives the signal it has been missing. And it begins to build.

What actually is Karisma RH Collagen?

Karisma RH Collagen (also often spelled "Karizma") is an injectable preparation whose role is completely different from what we are used to with conventional fillers. Instead of filling or correcting, it sets things in motion, giving the skin the signal to start building, on its own, the collagen it has stopped producing in sufficient quantities over the years.

The formula consists of three ingredients that work together, each with its own precise role.

The first is recombinant human collagen — Rh Collagen. This is a polypeptide chain that is identical to the one our body naturally uses to build type I collagen. Fibroblasts recognise it immediately and begin to incorporate it into the new collagen network — as if they have been given precisely the part they were missing to continue the work that slowed down with the years.

The second ingredient is high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid . It provides the tissue with hydration and creates an environment in which fibroblasts can work unhindered and regenerate.

The third ingredient is carboxymethylcellulose — CMC. The name may be unfamiliar, but its role is very specific. There are enzymes in the skin whose natural task is to break down collagen and hyaluronic acid — that is a normal biological process. CMC slows down their action, which means that newly built collagen stays in the tissue longer, and the hyaluronic acid that the skin already has does not disappear too quickly. In short — it preserves what has been built.

Each of these ingredients has its own role. But only together do they create the conditions in which the skin transforms from within — gradually and in a way that lasts.

Where does RH collagen come from and why is that important?

This is perhaps the most unusual part of the story of Karisma — and at the same time the one that makes it unique.

The recombinant human collagen found in Karisma is of non-animal origin. It does not derive from cattle or other animal sources, as was the case with the first collagen preparations used in aesthetic medicine. Such preparations carried the risk of allergic reactions, and in some patients, rejection reactions — precisely because the body recognised them as foreign.

Rh Collagen is produced in a completely different way. Scientists inserted the sequence of the human collagen alpha-1 chain into the genetic code of a silkworm — and the silkworm spun it in its cocoon, following that code. The result is a polypeptide that is 99.9% identical to the collagen our body naturally produces. It is not animal-based, it is not synthetic — but rather human collagen, obtained biotechnologically.

Because of that almost perfect match, fibroblasts do not treat it as a foreign substance. There is no immune response, no rejection, no need for allergy testing before treatment. The body accepts it the way it accepts its own building blocks — quietly, efficiently and without resistance.

Another important property is its bioavailability. Thanks to its specific structure and a molecular weight of 100 kDa, Rh Collagen dissolves completely and immediately becomes available to the cells that need it. There are no losses, no waiting — the signal arrives where it is needed, immediately.

What happens in the skin during and after the treatment?

When Karisma RH Collagen is injected into the skin, nothing spectacular happens at first glance. And that is precisely the point. Unlike fillers which immediately change the contours, Karisma triggers a process that takes place gradually — in a rhythm that follows the natural cycle of skin renewal. And that process begins within the very first hours after the treatment.

Fibroblasts that have been in contact with Rh Collagen become activated. Studies carried out at the University of L'Aquila have confirmed that Karisma increases the production of type I procollagen — the initial, immature form of collagen that is converted inside the cell into mature collagen fibres. The same researchers also recorded an increase in TGF-β1, a signalling protein that acts as one of the main drivers of collagen synthesis in human skin, as well as the enzyme P4HA1, which is crucial for the maturation and stabilisation of newly formed fibres.

What does that mean in practice? It means that the skin does not receive ready-made collagen from the outside — but rather starts to build it itself, rapidly and in an organised way, using the signal it has received.

In addition, the same studies revealed something equally important: Karisma did not only affect younger, healthy fibroblasts — it also affected senescent cells that had lost their natural activity. Even in these cells, type I collagen production increased by more than 100% even at lower concentrations of the preparation. This means that Karisma is not just a preventative tool — it also works where the skin has already begun to lose its structure.

The results are not immediate, but they are visible and measurable. The skin becomes denser, firmer and more resilient — not because something has been added from the outside, but because a mechanism that had slowed down has been reactivated from within.

Who is Karisma intended for?

Karisma RH Collagen is not a treatment reserved for a specific age or a certain degree of skin changes. First and foremost, it is a treatment for those who want to understand what is happening to their skin — and who are looking for a solution that keeps pace with that process, rather than simply masking it.

There are signals that the skin sends before changes become pronounced. Skin that was once firm starts to look a little more tired, a little less taut — not dramatically, but enough for you to notice. Fine lines appear not only where facial expressions are repeated, but also in places that were previously smooth. The cheeks lose that fullness which was not a result of volume, but of the density of the skin itself. The skin on the neck and decolletage becomes thinner.

All these are signs that fibroblasts are working more slowly than before — and that the collagen network has begun to thin out.

Karisma is ideal for those who have noticed those initial changes and want to act while the skin still has good regenerative capacity. However, it is equally valuable for those whose changes are already more visible — because, as studies have shown, it also acts on ageing fibroblasts that have lost their natural activity.

It is especially suitable for people who do not want drastic changes, who are not looking for a different face — just their own, looking fresh. Those for whom it is important that the result looks natural, so that no one can tell what has been done, but only that they look rested and well.

What are the effects of the Karisma treatment?

Karisma does four things at once, and each of them has a tangible effect that the patient can notice.

• It encourages the skin to build collagen on its own
  Rh Collagen directly activates fibroblasts to produce type I collagen — the one that gives skin density and firmness. It doesn’t simulate that process, it doesn’t bypass it — rather, it triggers it through a building block that cells immediately recognise and use.
• Deep hydration and instant freshness
  High molecular weight hyaluronic acid gives the tissue deep hydration and a mild, immediate volume. Hydrated skin reacts better to every biostimulatory signal, and fibroblasts in well-nourished tissue work more efficiently.
• It preserves what has been built
  CMC slows down enzymes that break down hyaluronic acid in the tissue — meaning the skin retains moisture for longer and the treatment effects last longer.
• Improves skin quality and texture
  Regular treatments visibly smooth fine texture, soften minor acne scars and improve the overall appearance of the skin. Clinical evaluations confirmed a visible improvement as early as 30 days after treatment.

What can you expect?

Karisma RH Collagen works on several levels simultaneously. The skin becomes more compact and firmer, volume lost over the years is gradually restored, and the face gets a natural lifting effect — not because something has been added, but because the tissue is strengthened from within. Visible results include:

• Volume restoration and contour remodelling
  Where the skin has lost its density and support, compactness is gradually restored, giving the face a more rested and fresher appearance.
• Tightening effect
  As the collagen network strengthens, the skin naturally tightens — not through sudden changes, but through a gradual and even process of renewal.
• Firmness and tone of the tissue
  Skin that was soft and lax becomes more resistant to the touch, more elastic and responds better to everyday movements and facial expressions.
• Softening of fine lines and the appearance of scars
  Regular treatments gradually smooth the skin's fine texture and reduce the visibility of minor acne scars.

Treatment protocol

Karisma follows your skin's natural rhythm. The standard protocol involves just two sessions spaced 30 days apart — and that interval is no accident. It mirrors the cellular renewal cycle that naturally occurs in the skin every 28 days, meaning that each subsequent session takes place at a time when the skin has already begun responding to the previous one.

Following that, a follow-up visit is recommended after six months — when the doctor assesses the results and, if necessary, plans a maintenance treatment.

Where is Karisma applied?

Karisma RH Collagen is intended exclusively for the face. It is applied to the cheeks and cheekbone areas where the skin loses density and support, to the chin which becomes less defined with age, and to perioral lines — the fine wrinkles around the mouth that appear as a result of the loss of collagen support. It is also used to treat facial skin in general, particularly where the tissue has become thinner and less compact than before.

We recommend planning your injectable treatment at least two weeks before an important event. If a series of treatments is required, the plan should start earlier to allow enough time for the full effect to develop.