Are injectable moisturisers safe?
Yes. Some brands of injectable moisturiser treatment such as Restylane Skin Boosters have been available for 15 years and none of the clinics I have asked can cite any significant problems with this type of tweakment. Patients are likely to experience short-lived redness after the treatment, particularly if it is one of the brands where the treatment requires hundreds of tiny injections, and there is always a risk of bruising with any treatment that involves needles.
Do injectable moisturisers work?
Yes, injectable moisturisers work remarkably well. They make the skin better hydrated and healthier which in turn makes the skin look better, too.
How long do injectable moisturisers take to work?
Most brands of injectable moisturiser don’t promise results until eight weeks after the first treatment, but most people I know who have tried these tweakments find they start seeing results after five weeks.
Are injectable moisturisers a kind of filler?
No, even though injectable moisturisers are made of hyaluronic acid, which is what most facial fillers are made from, they do not give a plumping or filling effect in the face. For a start, they come in a very runny fluid gel, so they do not add any volume to the face. Also, they are injected only just beneath the surface of the skin whereas fillers are placed more deeply into the face, for example to add structure to the jaw or chin, or to replace lost volume in the cheeks, lips or temples. So injectable moisturisers are a different type of product, and are used differently and give a different effect, even though, like fillers, they are made from hyaluronic acid.
What are the different brands of injectable moisturisers?
There are several brands of injectable moisturisers, all of which work in slightly different ways, though they are in effect doing much the same thing. The one that is most talked about at the moment is Profhilo, which is made by the Italian company IBSA Farmaceutici, because it is the quickest procedure and involves the fewest injections. The injectable moisture treatment that has been around longest is Restylane’s Skin Boosters, while Juvederm’s Volite and Teosyal’s Redensity 1 are relatively recent launches. Newest in the UK is Sunekos, which combines hyaluronic acid with a mixture of amino acids.
How long do injectable moisturisers last?
Depending on the brand of treatment you choose, injectable moisturiser treatment can last for up to nine months. Restylane Skin Boosters offers six months of hydration after three rounds of treatment, and Juvederm Volite lasts for nine months after just one round of treatment. Profhilo treatment offers six months of lasting benefit after two treatments one month apart – though some clinics prefer to offer patients repeated treatments every three months, to keep the results topped up. Sunkeos also lasts for six months, as does Redensity 1.
Are there any side effects to injectable moisturisers?
As with all procedures involving needles, there will be some redness around the injection sites. This is more noticeable the more injections you have in one sitting. There is also a less likely risk of bruising, although again the likelihood increases the more injections you have. With procedures involving fewer injections, you’ll likely experience some swelling around the injection sites, like a bite or sting.
Other than that, there are no associated side effects. However, you must make sure to find a skilled practitioner because a novice could inject the product incorrectly and, while the product is runny enough to be dissipated naturally by the body, you certainly won’t see the benefits.
Where can I get injectable moisturisers?
Most aesthetic clinics that offer a range of tweakments will now offer one or more types of injectable moisture treatment. You can find many clinics that offer these treatments through the practitioner finder on this website.
How much do injectable moisturisers cost?
Treatment with injectable moisturisers is not cheap. Expect to pay from £400 per treatment, depending on the product used and the amount of product needed for the treatment.
How long does it take to have injectable moisturisers?
As above, this depends on the brand of injectable moisturiser that you have chosen. While Profhilo treatment is very quick, taking less than 10 minutes, treatment that involves hundreds of injections takes rather longer.
Where can injectable moisturisers be used on the body?
Almost anywhere where you have dry skin and enough money to spend on it. Most people start by trying injectable moisturisers on the face. Other areas that respond well to treatment with injectable moisturisers include the neck, the décolletage and the hands. It is really good for those crepey areas where the skin often looks dry and where wrinkles and fine lines become more obvious. Some creative cosmetic practitioners also use these treatments to firm up sagging skin on the upper arms (the ‘bingo wings’, as we call them in the UK), or to treat dry skin on the tops of the feet.
Does injectable moisturiser treatment hurt?
It varies, depending on the treatment you are having, your practitioner’s injecting skills, and how sharp their needle is. Profhilo treatment is very quick and I have never found I needed anaesthetic cream beforehand, but if I was going to have a whole face-full of tiny injections, as is required for Volite or Skinboosters, I would probably ask for some numbing cream! The needles used are very fine and if your practitioner changes the needle two or three times during treatment it will keep the discomfort to a minimum. Redensity 1 has lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, in the mix, to make it more comfortable.
Can you have injectable moisturisers if you have toxins and fillers?
Yes, injectable moisturisers work well alongside other tweakments because their focus is on skin conditioning rather than relaxing muscles or adding volume.
Can you have laser or radiofrequency treatment after injectable moisturisers?
I wouldn’t, just in case the heat of the laser (or high intensity focused ultrasound device, or radiofrequency device) manages to zap it and destroy it. Just do it the other way round. Have the laser, or radiofrequency, or HIFU and once that has settled down, go for the injectable moisturisers.