Tweak of the Week: Pluryal biostimulators

So what’s a biostimulator? It’s a type of injectable ingredient that encourages our skin to regenerate itself from the inside, and it’s a topic creating massive interest in aesthetics just now. I wrote about one type of biostimulator – polynucleotides  – recently, and in order to dig even deeper and actually see them in action,  I went to visit TTG-registered practitioner Professor Bob Khanna. Reading-based Dr Bob was one of the first UK practitioners to work with polynucleotides and has been teaching other practitioners about them for a few years, so I knew he’d be able to give a great, thorough, and practical insight into this exciting new tweakment.

The bio-fillers

The exact products Dr Bob uses are part of a range of biostimulators from a brand called Pluryal. Some of these are bio-fillers (Bioclassic and Biovolume) and then there are the skin-conditioning ones with polynucleotides (Silk and Densify). First, I wanted to know what exactly a bio-filler is. ‘These bio-fillers are the next generation of fillers, utilising not just one, but three types of hyaluronic acid,’ explains Dr Bob.

‘The benefit is a really seamless transition between the filler and the tissue, and there’s also a sustained release of hyaluronic acid throughout the duration of the filler.’ What does this mean for you, the patient? Better hydration, better elasticity, better plumping, and less chance of unwanted post-filler lumps and bumps, thanks to this sophisticated hand-over between filler and tissue. Not to mention, this type of filler typically lasts well over a year, reports Dr Bob, and during this time the product is slowly increasing hydration and elasticity in the skin.

The polynucleotides

Pluryal’s polynucleotide-containing skin-conditioning injectables are even more exciting. Rather than hyaluronic acid, these are formed of polynucleotides derived from salmon sperm, because the DNA this contains closely resembles human DNA. ‘They don’t just stimulate collagen production from the cells that produce collagen, the fibroblasts, they also help produce elastin,’ explains Dr Bob.

‘So, we improve the elasticity of the tissue as well as the collagen, and they also improve the extracellular matrix, so we get improved hydration, a reduction in inflammation and swelling, a beautiful firmness to the tissue and an improvement in texture, tone, and the turgidity of the tissue.’

And unlike some HA-based injectable moisturisers or skin boosters, Dr Bob tells me that the improvements in elasticity and hydration from polynucleotides are seen in a very short time. ‘We’re seeing some real improvements very, very quickly. The speed is amazing, because, with a lot of skin boosters, you’ve got to wait around three months to see things coming through. But this is a matter of weeks.’

The treatment

Now, onto the treatment itself. Dr Bob performed a full-face treatment on a patient using a combination of bio-fillers and polynucleotides from the range:

• Biovolume was used to build volume in the tear trough area deep and the central cheek.
• Pluryal Silk was placed superficially to improve dark circles.
• Silk and Bioclassic were mixed and injected into the nasolabial area.
• Pluryal Densify was injected into the marionette crease.
• Silk was used for the neck lines.

The result

And as you can see, the changes are really obvious. Just two weeks later, the hollowing and dark circles beneath her eyes are greatly reduced and her cheeks look less gaunt. You can see that new definition all along her jawline, and how the addition of a little volume in her mid-cheek gives the appearance of lift in her face. It has also softened and refreshed her mid-face – what a fab result.

This video is sponsored by Dr BK Dental and Medical Aesthetic Clinic.