Skin Care Education

Profhilo

An injectable skin remodelling treatment by IBSA that uses a uniquely high concentration of hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate the tissue, stimulate collagen and elastin production, and improve overall skin quality from within.

What Is Profhilo?

Profhilo is an injectable skin treatment made by IBSA Derma that contains one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid of any injectable product on the market. Unlike standard dermal fillers, which are designed to stay in a specific area and add structural volume, Profhilo is formulated to spread widely through the tissue after injection. This spreading property means that a small number of injection points can treat a large area of skin, and the product integrates throughout the tissue rather than sitting in one location.

Profhilo works through two complementary mechanisms. First, the hyaluronic acid it contains is highly hydrophilic, meaning it attracts and retains a significant amount of water, deeply hydrating the tissue from within and improving the plumpness and quality of the skin above. Second, the product stimulates the production of collagen and elastin by the cells in the tissue, producing a longer-term improvement in skin firmness, elasticity, and overall quality that continues to develop over the weeks and months following treatment.

The unique formulation of Profhilo uses a thermal cross-linking process rather than the chemical cross-linking used in standard fillers. This produces a product that is thermo-dynamic, meaning it flows through the tissue at body temperature rather than remaining static. This property gives Profhilo its characteristic wide-spreading behaviour and is what distinguishes it from both standard fillers and conventional skin boosters.

What to Expect

Profhilo is typically injected at five specific anatomical points on each side of the face, a protocol known as the BAP technique, which stands for bio aesthetic points. These points are chosen to allow the product to spread through the entire facial tissue from a small number of injections. A topical numbing cream is applied before treatment. The injections themselves feel like small pinpricks and the procedure takes around 20 minutes.

Small raised bumps at each injection point are visible immediately after treatment and settle over 24 to 48 hours as the product spreads through the tissue. Some redness and very occasional bruising at injection sites is normal. Most people return to their normal activities the following day.

The initial course consists of two sessions spaced four weeks apart. Results begin to develop over the four weeks following the first session and continue to improve after the second, with the full benefit of the course typically apparent at four to eight weeks after the second treatment. Maintenance sessions every six months sustain the result.

Who It’s For and Results

Profhilo is particularly well suited to those who want to improve the overall quality, hydration, and firmness of their skin in a way that looks natural because it works from within the tissue rather than adding structural volume. It is especially popular for those in their late thirties and beyond who are noticing a loss of the natural plumpness, elasticity, and glow of their skin, and for those wanting an improvement in skin quality that complements other treatments without adding obvious volume.

It is suitable for the face, neck, decolletage, and hands, all areas that benefit from improved tissue hydration and quality. It works well alongside structural filler treatments, neuromodulators, and skin resurfacing as part of a comprehensive skin health programme, addressing the quality dimension of skin ageing that structural treatments alone do not fully address.

Results are typically described as a natural-looking improvement in skin glow, firmness, and hydration that makes the skin look healthier and more alive without looking treated. Profhilo does not change facial shape or add structural volume, so the improvement is purely in skin quality rather than in facial contour.

Frequently Asked Questions: Profhilo

Dermal fillers are thick, cohesive gels placed in specific areas to add structural volume and shape. They stay where they are injected and are used to lift, define, and reshape facial features. Profhilo is a much more fluid hyaluronic acid formulation that spreads through the tissue after injection rather than staying localised. It does not add volume or change facial structure. Its purpose is to improve the quality, hydration, and firmness of the skin across the treatment area as a whole. The two serve different purposes and are often used together in a comprehensive treatment programme.

Standard skin boosters such as Restylane Skinboosters are injected in a fine grid of small superficial injections across the treatment area and are designed to hydrate the skin. Profhilo uses a small number of deeper injections at specific anatomical points and spreads through the tissue due to its unique thermo-dynamic formulation, treating a much larger area from fewer injection points. It also contains a significantly higher concentration of hyaluronic acid than most skin boosters and has both hydrating and tissue-stimulating effects on collagen and elastin, making it more of a skin remodelling treatment than a straightforward hydration treatment.

The standard initial course is two sessions spaced four weeks apart. This produces the primary hydrating and collagen-stimulating effect. After completing the initial course, maintenance sessions every six months sustain the result as the hyaluronic acid gradually breaks down. Some people find they extend to twice-yearly maintenance comfortably while others prefer to reassess every four to six months based on how their skin feels. A provider will advise on the most appropriate maintenance schedule based on the individual skin type and response.

Yes, and this is one of its most valued applications. The neck, decolletage, and hands are areas that age visibly but are frequently undertreated. Profhilo is well suited to all three because its spreading property allows the product to treat a large surface area from a small number of injection points, and its tissue-hydrating and collagen-stimulating effects are as relevant in these areas as on the face. Treating the face, neck, and hands as part of a consistent Profhilo programme produces a more uniform improvement in skin quality across all visible skin surfaces.