The Market Situation

There are hundreds of cosmetic treatments that target the skin, from serums to lasers. Broadly speaking, the more aggressive the treatment the more impressive and immediate the results. Think retinol cream vs CO2 laser, they both stimulate collagen and are great for the skin but CO2 laser will have a much more notable result over the short and long term. However, aggressive treatments result in more downtime which is impractical if you lead a busy life or prefer not to be seen with your skin peeling off!

Before Profhilo was introduced, there wasn’t a product available that could rapidly improve the quality of skin without causing significant downtime. There was a gap and a need in the market. But what about Botox I hear you say… Botox doesn’t actually change the structural makeup of skin. It doesn’t promote collagen or elastin which gives skin its youthful appearance. Its only effect is to block nerve signals which has an indirect effect of making the skin appear smoother.  

What Is It?

Profhilo was introduced as an injectable moisturiser. A treatment that claims to rapidly hydrate the skin and significantly boost collagen via its patented technology consisting of high and low density hyaluronic acid (HA) molecules. HA naturally exists within the skin and provides support and structure to the dermis. It also has the ability to draw and hold many times its own weight in water.  

Profhilo’s formula boasted the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid available in the market and promised to impressively improve the appearance of skin. But as I’ve already alluded to, there are a tonne of treatments that claim to work miracles.  

Treatment process

Profhilo is prepared within a 2ml syringe and appears as a gel. The treatment involves injecting small boluses of gel over five injection points on each side of the face. It’s very quick to perform with actual treatment time being no more than 5 minutes. 

Now with any treatment there will always be side effects. If you’ve spoken to anyone who has had Profhilo, the word pain might have come up. Profhilo targets the skin so the injections are superficial. This can irritate the concentrated pain receptors present in this area. However, in my experience the injections are well tolerated. They might sting a little but only for a few seconds. But if your pain threshold is on the lower side and your Doctor is nice like me, you can always request numbing cream which alleviates any discomfort. 

Post procedure, small red lumps are visible at the injection points where the product has been administered. It pretty much looks like you’ve had a bad day at a beehive! However, the redness quickly fades within a few minutes and you’re left with a few small lumps. These take 12 – 24 hours to flatten as the gel disperses below the skin. You can massage the areas to speed up this process but I rarely recommend this. 

And that’s it. Now you wait for all those promises. For best results it’s recommended you have 2 treatments 4-6 weeks apart and then every 6 – 12 months depending on your needs. Average cost of each treatment in London clinics is approximately £350. It might be more or less depending on the clinic.

Here’s My Take

Before I offer any treatment to my clients I always consider 2 factors. The most important factors… 

Is it safe and is it effective? 

All procedures come with risks and your practitioner should always explain them to you during the consenting process. Profhilo too is not without risks. 

Profhilo breaks the skin with a very small needle providing a route for infection. However, the break in the skin is microscopic as the needle used is very small.  With appropriate skin preparation and sterility during the procedure, the risk of infection is minimal.

Profhilo is injected superficially, but if an inexperienced practitioner were to inject deep and enter a blood vessel, this could lead to a complication known as vascular occlusion. Vascular occlusion can lead to scarring if left untreated. This risk is mitigated with appropriate injection technique and practitioners’ knowledge of anatomy.  Whilst this remains a risk, the risk is extremely low.

Profhilo is composed of a pure grade HA, free from stabilising agents or additives often found within dermal fillers. This significantly reduces the risk of inflammatory reactions that might occur with other HA products. I’m yet to see or hear of any inflammatory reactions secondary to profhilo. 

Essentially, Profhilo has a very high safety profile. When treated by an experienced practitioner there there are very few things that can go wrong. It’s safe. But is it effective?… 

Enormously!!

Injecting Profhilo’s high concentration of HA into the skin has 2 effects: Firstly, it has a massive hydrating effect which many clients notice within days to weeks. The skin quickly goes from dull and lifeless to refreshed and vibrant. Irregularities in the skin are smoothed and the skin is left with a healthy glow. 

Secondly, Profhilo is able to remodel the skin by stimulating natural collagen and elastin. Restoring collagen and elastin gives the skin a tighter and firmer appearance which leaves the skin looking more youthful.

A product that delivers such impressive results with such little down time and risk is nothing short of a game changer! Whenever I treat a patient with Profhilo I know what to expect at follow-up… A client beaming, eager to tell me how healthy their skin looks. Either that or how many compliments they’ve had, with friends commenting on how well they look whilst being slightly puzzled and not quite sure what’s changed.

These are the results I enjoy achieving for my clients. Impactful but undetectable! Clients appearing as themselves, only rejuvenated!  

So to the sales rep I met all those years ago. A thank you from me and my clients as Profhilo has certainly delivered.. You were right (but you haven’t changed my septic ways)!

I highly recommend Profhilo as a treatment option in improving the quality, texture and appearance of skin. But this is only after an individual comprehensive medical history and examination has been performed. Always seek professional medical advice when considering a cosmetic treatment and only go ahead after carefully considering all the pros and cons in line with your individual goals. Ultimately, be happy in your skin. Beauty isn’t perfection.

Carriages of Harley Street offer Profhilo treatments. To book a consultation or for any further information please visit carriages.co