“Profhilo versus Botox: Which is better for me?”
That is a question that I get asked very often ever since the launch of Profhilo in 2019 in Singapore.
Both Botox and Profhilo are used for anti-aging purposes – to improve fine lines and improve the aged appearance of skin.
So what’s the difference between Profhilo and Botox?
Although Profhilo is the one of the newest addition to anti-ageing treatments, it has not replaced the use of Botox in aesthetics.
For some patients, they are best done together for optimal results.
Let’s find out more about Profhilo and Botox.
Contents
What is Botox?
Botox is a neurotoxin – it blocks the signal from the nerve to the muscle. This will cause temporary paralysis to the muscle. In aesthetic treatments, this mechanism is effective in softening wrinkles on the forehead and around the corner of the eye and the frown lines. A good botox session is customised to suit your expectations. A complete frozen look can be achieved but most patients prefer partial relaxation of the muscles with preservation of natural facial expression.
However, Botox is not very effective in treating the ageing signs of the lower face as that is mostly contributed by the lose of skin elasticity and migration of fat pads.
What is Profhilo?
Profhilo is a bio-remodelling injectable that has only hit the Singapore market at the end of last year, 2019. Although it contains HA, which is a common ingredient used in dermal fillers and skin booster, Profhilo has unique properties as the newly designed NAHYCO technology of stabilising HA allows formation of hybrid cooperative complex (HCC) which is capable of acting at multi-levels from fibroblast, keratinocytes at the dermis as well as fat step cells at the adipose tissue at the subcutaneous layer.
This anti-ageing treatment is becoming increasingly popular in Europe as it treats the source of ageing and not only the ageing symptoms. It is able to stimulate the production of elastin and collagen at the superficial layers of the skin resulting in textural improvements by plumping up the skin easing off dry fine lines and crinkled skin. It also acts deep into the fat stem cells by improving the integrity and viability, providing a lifting effect.
However, it has its limitations as the suggested techniques treats only the lower face, neck, back of hands and the underarms. Potential use on the upper face, knees and other body parts are currently being studied.
Profhilo versus Botox: Differences
As the mechanism of action between Profhilo and Botox is very different, it is not difficult to differentiate which treatment is a more suitable one for you when you understand how they work.
Here is a summary of these 2 treatments.
| Botox | Profhilo | |
| Ingredient | Clostridium Botulinum | Hybrid Cooperative Complex Hyaluronic Acid |
| Where it works | Muscles | Dermis, Subcutaneous layer of the skn |
| Benefits | Minimise expression lines | 1. Hydration 2. Collagen stimulation 3. Fat stem cell viability and integrity |
| Best for | Crow’s feet, frown lines, forehead lines, platysmal bands (on neck) | Mild to moderate saggy skin, ageing and dehydrated skin, dry fine lines |
| Results | Can be seen in ~ 3 days | Gradual improvement over the next month |
| Regime | Once every 4 months | Depending on severity from 2-4 sessions in 1 year |
| Longevity | Last for 3-4 months | Last for 4-6 months |
| Pain | Mild | Mild |
| Downtime | Small risk of bruising; otherwise no downtime | Bumps on injection point which usually resolves in 1 day |
| Cost | $15/unit. Depending on area and muscle size. Each session for upper face ranges from $150 – $800 | $1200 – $1500 per session |
Can Profhilo and Botox be combined?
As they treat different areas of the skin and different areas of the face, sometimes the best result can be achieved when they are done together. Since Botox is more effective in treating expression lines, they can be used to soften forehead lines, botox, crow’s feet, whilst Profhilo can be done concurrently to target skin laxity of the lower face.
For example, patients with prominent platysma bands on the neck will benefit from the relaxation whilst the crinkled skin can be treated with profhilo.
Botox and Profhilo are FDA approved treatments that are very safe. A face-to-face consult with an experienced doctor will be able to help you decide which treatment(s) will be give the best results.
