L
ooking good comes with a hefty price tag. A shirt from Chanel’s spring/summer 2026 collection, the first under Matthieu Blazy’s creative lead and co-designed with the 187-year-old Charvet, is priced at $4,350 (Dh15,975). Kris Jenner’s facelift? That could cost between $100,000 and $150,000 (Dh367,250-Dh550,875). Combine these, and you’re dressed to impress. But what’s the use if your telomeres are shrinking faster than Kim Kardashian’s chances of passing the bar exam? While her bid to become a lawyer was unsuccessful, her shapewear brand Skims recently hit a $5 billion (Dh18.4bn) valuation. Are telomeres a mystery? Then you likely missed the world’s top longevity experts at the Middle East’s first biohacking event, The Zenos Health Summit in Riyadh. Telomeres are crucial for preventing age-related diseases, and maintaining them is a cornerstone for many longevity advocates. However, unlike a facelift, Chanel shirt, or Tom Ford gown, you can’t purchase longer telomeres. Or can you? Despite sleep, exercise, nutrition, and nature being the most effective and affordable anti-aging methods, numerous interventions promise to enhance healthspan at a cost. Just as Netflix’s former CEO Reed Hastings claimed the streaming giant’s main rival is sleep, luxury fashion consumers are now being lured from boutiques to clinics by aesthetically focused longevity treatments.
So, what’s worth investing in? Can the prospect of living longer (and looking better) make you reconsider spending on designer bags in favor of DEXA scans? At the Zenos Summit, Dr. Jessica Shepherd remarked, “Think: I am my best investment. How do I make choices that reflect my true worth?” Considering how to spend time, money, and energy, Dr. Shepherd advises asking, “What will this investment yield in my 70s, 80s, and 90s? What actions now will provide the best return as I age?” It’s a valuable question as the White Friday sales approach. Will your 80-year-old self appreciate that sequin mini from Harvey Nics at 60% off, or is your money better spent on the latest longevity protocols for improved living and appearance? Here, I explore two popular longevity treatments that also enhance appearance. Longevity treatment or fashion splurge? You decide.
Peptide Therapy (or a new handbag?)
To be a true bio-hacker, you need to have a go-to peptide. For most, the question is: what is a peptide? In essence, it’s a mini-protein or amino acid chain that instructs cells, with about 7,000 types. Over 100 are FDA-approved, including GLP-1 for weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic. Zenos speaker Dr. Shawana Vali, a cosmetic dermatology and medical wellness expert, explains, “By age 40, you have about 50-60% of your peptides left. By 60, it’s around 20-30%.”
Peptides are popular in skincare and supplements, but serious bio-hackers inject them for benefits like muscle growth, immune support, better sleep, and hair growth. Some claim they increase melatonin for tanning. Kisspeptin, cutely named, is said to boost libido.
What do experts say? At Zenos, Dr. Ryan Neinstein, known for the ‘Birkin Body’ (timeless, classy, exclusive), favors BPC-157, the ‘wolverine’ for recovery and healing, often used by athletes or post-surgery. Dr. Vali is a fan, stating, “Peptides are becoming a billion-dollar industry. I use them with subcutaneous NAD and Delta sleep-inducing peptide when I can’t sleep. I’m perimenopausal, so I take CJC-1295 to maintain fat burning, as I gain weight easily now. I also take Ipamorelin to maintain muscle and bone health through menopause.”
Price: Costs vary by peptide, clinic, and cycle length, but can be about Dh6,000 for a six-week cycle, similar to a Saint Laurent ‘Shopping’ bag.
Exosomes (or an emerging designer gown?)
Expect exosomes to gain attention soon. Like a designer brand about to soar (my pick is Nafsika Skourti), exosomes are on the rise. They are tiny sacs that communicate between cells, carrying molecules and influencing cell behavior. “They’re like fertilizer,” says Dr. Vali, “microscopic couriers transporting growth factors and mRNA to reprogram skin behavior, repair, and aging.”
Exosome-based skincare products come from plant, animal, or human stem cells and are applied topically for skin regeneration. Like peptides, they can also be injected. Some mix them with fillers. Dr. Vali uses them for hair growth, injecting exosomes into her scalp to extend the anagen phase and thicken hair, and takes intravenous exosomes with stem cells for cellular regeneration twice a year. She also uses hyaluronic acid and biostimulators every 18-24 months for facial support.
Price: From around Dh1,500 per session, depending on the clinic. Up to six sessions might be needed for hair loss, equivalent to a Nafsika Skourti gown.
