Profhilo vs skin boosters vs polynucleotides: which is best for your skin?

If you've started looking into injectable treatments to improve your skin, you've probably come across Profhilo, skin boosters and polynucleotides.

You may also have reached the fairly reasonable conclusion that they all appear to promise roughly the same thing.

Better hydration. Better skin quality. More collagen. Fewer fine lines. More “glow”.

They are not, however, the same treatment.

At DR JACKSON SKIN in Alderley Edge, I offer several injectable skin treatments, and I don't think there is one that is universally “best”. The useful question is: what are we actually trying to improve in your skin?

What is Profhilo?

Profhilo is an injectable treatment containing high concentrations of hyaluronic acid.

Unlike traditional dermal filler, its purpose is not to add volume or change the shape of your face. It is used as a skin-remodelling treatment, with the aim of improving hydration, elasticity and overall skin quality.

This makes Profhilo particularly useful when the problem is less about one individual line and more about skin beginning to feel drier, thinner or less elastic.

I often describe it as a treatment for somebody who isn't looking to change their face - they just want their skin to look better.

A course usually involves two treatments approximately four weeks apart.

What are skin boosters?

“Skin booster” is actually a fairly broad term rather than one single treatment.

Skin boosters are injectable products designed primarily to improve the quality of the skin rather than create the structural changes we associate with dermal filler.

Depending on the product, they may contain hyaluronic acid alongside other ingredients like amino acids, and can be used to target hydration, texture, fine lines and overall skin quality.

At DR JACKSON SKIN, the skin booster I recommend depends on the skin in front of me. This is one of the reasons I don't think choosing an injectable purely because you've seen its name on Instagram is particularly useful.

What are polynucleotides?

Polynucleotides are a different category again.

Rather than primarily using hyaluronic acid to improve hydration, polynucleotide treatments are used with the aim of supporting skin repair and regeneration and improving skin quality over time.

They have become particularly popular for the delicate under-eye area, where concerns might include fine or crepey skin and general skin quality.

They can also be used more widely across the face.

Results are gradual rather than an instant transformation, and treatment is normally undertaken as a course.

Profhilo vs polynucleotides: what's the difference?

This is probably one of the questions I am asked most often.

The simplest answer is that I tend to think about them according to the problem we're trying to solve, rather than trying to decide which product is “better”.

If hydration, elasticity and more generalised skin quality are the priorities, Profhilo may make sense.

If we're looking at regenerative skin treatment, particularly delicate or crepey areas such as around the eyes, polynucleotides may be more appropriate.

If someone wants targeted hydration and improvement in skin texture, another skin booster may suit them better.

And sometimes the correct answer is none of them.

What about microneedling?

This is another treatment that frequently gets put into the same “better skin” category, but it works very differently.

Microneedling creates controlled micro-injury in the skin to stimulate the wound-healing response and collagen remodelling.

For the right patient, I particularly like it for concerns such as texture and acne scarring, as well as general skin quality.

It is also one of my favourite treatments personally.

That doesn't mean it is automatically the best treatment for you. Active inflammatory skin disease, your skin barrier, medical history, medications and your ability to follow appropriate aftercare all matter.

Which skin treatment is best in your 30s or 40s?

Age alone isn't how I choose treatments.

Two people can both be 42 and have completely different skin.

One might have excellent skin quality but be bothered by dynamic lines. Another may have significant sun damage. Someone else may primarily be experiencing dryness and changes in elasticity, while another person's main concern is acne scarring.

Giving all four people the same “anti-ageing” treatment because they are the same age makes very little sense.

This is why my consultations focus on your skin, your concerns and what you realistically want to achieve.

Will these treatments make me look different?

They shouldn't dramatically change your facial features.

For patients who come to me specifically because they want subtle, natural-looking aesthetic treatments, improving the skin itself can be a very useful part of the plan.

My aim is generally for somebody to notice that you look well, rather than immediately notice that you've had something done.

Which would I choose?

This is the slightly frustrating answer: it depends.

I don't have a favourite injectable that I recommend to everybody.

I want to know what bothers you, what your skin is actually like, what you've already tried, how much downtime you're prepared to have, your budget and what kind of result you're expecting.

Sometimes I'll recommend Profhilo.

Sometimes a different skin booster.

Sometimes polynucleotides or microneedling.

And sometimes I'd rather you spent the money on getting your home skincare right first.

Skin consultations and skin treatments in Alderley Edge

DR JACKSON SKIN is a doctor-led aesthetics and skincare clinic in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, also conveniently located for patients travelling from Wilmslow, Knutsford, Mobberley, and the surrounding Cheshire area.

My approach is evidence-led and deliberately subtle. I don't believe that having access to more treatments means that you need more treatments.

If you're considering Profhilo, skin boosters, polynucleotides or microneedling but aren't sure which treatment actually makes sense for your skin, a consultation is the best place to start.

We can look at your skin, talk through what you want to improve and decide whether a treatment is worthwhile - and which one has actually earned a place in your plan.