Profhilo, Fillers and Botox are all very popular “lunchtime" treatments to refresh the face non-surgically.
Profhilo and Natural Fillers (the most commonly used type of filler) both consist of hyaluronic acid (HA), a complex sugar normally found within our dermis that helps skin retain moisture and youthful plushness, making both biocompatible and safe. But the properties and function of HA differ between these two products.
Profhilo
Profhilo is an injectable pure HA anti-ageing moisturiser that's proven to boost skin’s own collagen regeneration by up to 12 times. Once deployed superficially into the dermis via 5 tiny injections determined by a clinically-tested protocol, this new hybrid HA (low molecular weight + high molecular weight HA) distributes itself safely and evenly in all 3 layers of the skin. This revitalises cells from within to promote healthy skin function, thereby enhancing the production of collagen, elastin and HA in tired, damaged or aged skin.
Patients (and people around them) appreciate Profhilo's bio-remodelling benefits as a visible improvement of their overall skin quality and youthful elasticity (more radiant, smoother, bouncier and more hydrated skin), without altering any facial features.
Profhilo is used to rejuvenate skin in the lower face, neck and body (e.g. hands). It has also been used in the treatment of depressed acne scars.
Natural HA Fillers
Natural HA Fillers, on the other hand, are built to stay in place (instead of being "fluid”). Placed deeper below the skin, the high molecular weight cross-linked HA integrates locally into the soft tissue seamlessly, hence enhancing the facial structure and volume of that specific injected area.
This gives necessary support to help the overlying skin stay lifted. It can also lift away unhealthy looking shadows (e.g. the under eyes or lower cheeks), and sculpt a more defined and beautiful facial contour.
Examples of commonly treated areas include saggy, deflated cheeks, undereye hollows, sunken temples, more prominent laugh lines and marionette lines, chin and jawline enhancement, and non-surgical nose augmentation.
Botox
And what about Botox?
Botox is basically an injectable muscle relaxant that works locally to safely reduce excessive creasing and wrinkling of the skin by facial expression muscles. E.g. frown lines, forehead “worry” lines and crow’s feet in the upper face.
Besides softening these expression wrinkles for smoother, fresher looking skin, this is also often used to provide a subtle Botox “browlift” or "Nefertiti jawline lift” by improving muscle balance in the ageing face. Others undergo Botox facial slimming to reduce overly bulky masseter muscles, achieving a more V-shaped jawline without surgery or downtime.
Because of their different and complementary functions, Profhilo, Natural Fillers and Botox are often used in combination as part of a holistic anti-ageing strategy. Different faces age differently, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The doctor should be well-versed in all the different modalities to deliver better and natural-looking results.
