Muscle Identified as Anti-Ageing Organ, Doctor Explains
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Many people believe the aging process is only visible through fine wrinkles on the face or loss of youthful skin elasticity. However, the decline in supporting tissues, particularly bones and muscles, plays a crucial role in determining how quickly the body ages.
Dr. Arini Astasari Widodo, founder of Dermalogia clinic and a specialist in aesthetic medicine, explained that contemporary aesthetic approaches no longer focus solely on surface-level issues. Experts now view aging more holistically, with muscles not just as movement tools but as the foundational element determining how youthful the body remains.
“Muscle is the new medicine – it’s now considered an anti-ageing organ,” Dr. Arini said during the Canisius Health Expo 2026 talkshow titled ‘Get the Confidence Back: Reclaiming Your Skin, Hair & Vitality’ in Jakarta on Sunday (24 May 2026).
“We only think muscles make us strong, but they significantly influence hormones and reduce mortality,” she added.
This condition weakens posture, alters body shape, and affects metabolic function, leading to overall health decline.
“Every decade after age 30, muscle mass decreases by three percent. That’s why we want to stay healthy at 40, 50, or 60 – to play golf, run marathons, jog, or play padel. A combination of medical devices and a healthy lifestyle can be a solution,” said Jan Valaca, Country Manager of BTL Aesthetics Indonesia.
To slow muscle loss, resistance training or weightlifting is strongly recommended. Additionally, advancements in medical aesthetics now offer non-invasive devices like Emsculpt Neo, specifically designed to strengthen muscles while reducing subcutaneous fat.
The concept of maintaining muscle density also applies to the face. Sagging fat pads and wrinkled skin are merely consequences of underlying support structures weakening, shrinking, and losing their supportive capacity.
“The face isn’t just about skin aging. Facial bones shrink, muscles age, fat sags, and then the skin follows. Therefore, addressing aging can’t be limited to superficial collagen discussions,” Dr. Arini explained.