Once you hit your mid-20s, your skin quietly starts changing. Collagen production naturally begins to slow around age 25, which can lead to fine lines, dullness, skin laxity, and a loss of firmness over time.

While skincare staples like moisturizers and retinoids certainly have their place, some in-office treatments work beneath the surface in ways topical products simply can't.

To find out which treatments are actually worth investing in, E! spoke with Elexsis Osuna, an aesthetic nurse at SEV Laser in Los Angeles, about the collagen-boosting procedures she recommends most often, what ingredients she actually uses in her own routine, and whether viral trends like red light therapy can compete with professional treatments.

Collagen is the protein responsible for keeping skin firm, plump, and smooth. Beginning in our mid-twenties, natural collagen production gradually declines, which is why many people start noticing subtle changes in their skin texture and elasticity.

Osuna shared that stimulating your body to produce new collagen—not just protecting the collagen you already have—is one of the biggest advantages of professional treatments. She told E! that if she had to choose one treatment for collagen stimulation, she'd pick microneedling.

"With one microneedling treatment, we're creating about 3 million microchannels across the face," she explained. "Your skin responds by producing new collagen."

Osuna said the treatment can stimulate significantly more collagen production than your skin would naturally produce after age 25, helping improve:

She said she especially loves the way microneedling restores smoothness and firmness over time. "You can have a great skincare routine," she shared, "but microneedling addresses everything from a deeper level."

While this peptides powder won't replace the collagen your body makes, regular use may help support skin elasticity and hydration when combined with a healthy lifestyle.

While ingredients like retinol, peptides, and vitamin C can support healthy skin, Osuna said they don't recreate the controlled collagen-stimulating process that happens during microneedling.

"I don't think there's anything else on the market that does what this does," she said.

That doesn't mean your skincare routine isn't important—it simply plays a different role. Think of professional treatments as rebuilding the skin's foundation while skincare helps maintain the results.

Osuna shared her favorite skincare picks with us below.

"I'll be honest—I am not the absolute best at having a skincare regimen every single day. I'm very big on basic stuff. If I find a good brand, I stick with it," she explained. "I love Glow Recipe. Glow Recipe is probably my favorite."

This silky emulsion delivers breathable hydration and leaves skin soft and glowing.

This whipped gel cream is packed with polyglutamic acid, hyaluronic acid, and plum for visibly plump, glowing skin.

This serum reduces redness, dryness, fine lines. It plumps with peptides and repairs skin’s barrier to soothe and restore even the most sensitive skin.

"Skinbetter is a really good brand. Their moisturizer is really awesome because I think it has like three different moisturizing ingredients," she shared.

This high-performance treatment helps restore your skin's moisture and hydration for a healthier, more radiant look. It also improves softness and smoothness while reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness.

"I'm a really big AHA girl," she said. "I use that like once a week, and I feel like it really helps minimize the pores. A lot of people have issues with texture and large pores, and that's a main concern. I personally love AHAs because they help control my breakouts and really make my pores look tiny."

This breakthrough bi-phase serum is formulated with vitamin C and AHA for three glow-boosting actions.

High-performance 9% AHA + 2% Phytic Acid treatment with seaweed that evens tone and texture overnight. Wake up to clearer pores and smoother, brighter skin.

This peeling solution works to improve skin texture, reduce pore congestion and address uneven skin tone.

If there's one product she doesn't skip, it's sunscreen, and she's particularly fond of Japanese formulas for their lightweight feel and elegant finish.

"I'm really big on snail mucin right now, and Japanese sunscreen. Chef's kiss. They're amazing," she said.

A daily, lightweight, clear mineral sunscreen for face with SPF 50. This 100% mineral actives sunscreen offers broad-spectrum sun protection for all skin types, including sensitive skin, shielding against harmful UV rays without irritation.

A skincare-first sunscreen formula with a barely-there texture that melts in fast, leaves zero white cast, and delivers a fresh, dewy finish.

While microneedling remains Osuna's top recommendation for collagen stimulation, she's also a fan of one of skincare's biggest trends: red light therapy.

"I actually like red light therapy too," she says. "I think it's a really good booster." Rather than viewing LED masks as an alternative to professional treatments, Osuna sees them as something that complements an in-office routine.

She says red light therapy can help calm redness, encourage a healthy glow, and support collagen production, particularly when paired with treatments like microneedling or laser facials.

"I love it. I think it really gives you an extra boost of glowiness that a lot of other things don't," she says. "On its own, it's good. In combination with microneedling or laser facials, I think it's amazing."

Featuring 504 medical-grade LEDs and a cordless, lightweight and breathable design, TheraFace Mask Glo delivers an effective full-face treatment in just 12 minutes. The clinically proven light doses visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, firm and tighten skin, and even tone and texture in as little as 8 weeks.

This soft LED mask utilizes different wavelengths of light to trigger the skin's natural healing processes, targeting a wide range of skin concerns—such as fine lines, acne, uneven skin tone, and more.

Looking for more pro skincare recs? Here's Why Lisa Rinna Calls This Celeb-Loved Sunscreen Her "Little Secret"

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