Stephanie Holmes trials Profhilo Structura, an injectable alternative to filler that promises to give skin a glow-up.
The promise
Profhilo Structura is a new injectable cosmetic treatment said to reverse the ageing of the fat cells in the face.
Unlike Profhilo (a hyaluronic acid-based injectable) which stimulates collagen and elastin
Practitioner Dr Ellen Selkon from Epsom’s Clinic 42 says it’s for people who don’t want to radically change their face, but to subtly improve it, by “correcting small defects [for a] fresher overall appearance”.
She adds that it’s not a replacement for fillers but can “significantly reduce the need for them”. If you don’t want the “widening of the face” that you get from fillers, she says, this could be worth a try.
Selkon says that our fat cells shrink as we age, which leads to sagging of the face and jawline. The hyaluronic acid gel helps to refresh the cells. “The signalling starts working again and the cells start producing new juvenile fat cells that are plump and good.”
Clinic 42 offers both Profhilo Structura and Profhilo, with patients able to opt for either treatment individually or combine the two with their Lift and Glow package.
Results aren’t all that visible after the first session, and it’s recommended to return 30 days later for a second session. Full results will be seen six weeks after the second treatment. Six monthly top-ups are encouraged.
Side effects are usually minimal – bruising, bleeding, redness, a bit of swelling – but they should disappear after a couple of days.
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The practice
I’m a first-timer when it comes to injectables, so have nothing to compare this to. But the whole process is simple and feels like a high-end experience.
Situated in a grand two-storey renovated villa, there are four doctors and two registered nurses as part of the Clinic 42 team, which is accredited by the New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Medicine.
After removing my makeup, photos were taken of my face from various angles and expressions – for example front on, smiling and frowning, profile, etc.
Inside Selkon’s light-filled, spacious treatment room, she explained the process and potential side effects, and confirmed I was happy to go ahead with the Lift and Glow treatment.
Selkon was the first practitioner in the country to inject Profhilo Structura, and Clinic 42 the first clinic to offer it to patients.
She administered two injections of Profhilo Structura using a cannula (a small, flexible tube) along my cheekbones and down the side of my face, then five injections of Profhilo in the jawline and marionette lines, repeated on either side of my face.
“The product then is like honey,” she says, “and it just spreads” under the skin.
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Advertise with NZME.Pain is subjective but, for me, the injections hurt more than a flu injection but less than a bikini wax.
Some were more painful than others – the ones close to my lips were the worst; those in my cheeks much milder.
As I’ve never had filler or Botox before I can’t compare the pain, but Selkon tells me most people say it’s less painful than getting filler and described as a 3 out of 10 on a pain scale.
While my face felt a bit tender and tight afterwards, there was no lingering pain. Small lumps that looked like mosquito bites appeared at the injection sites.
I wouldn’t have felt comfortable going back to work after the treatment, but that’s more because I would be self-conscious with no makeup on, rather than worried about looking like I’d had a treatment done.
The next day the mosquito bite look had died down and if you weren’t looking for them you wouldn’t notice the areas of slight swelling at the injection sites. I was able to wear makeup and go about my day as usual. My face did feel quite tender – like when you know you’re getting a big pimple, but it hasn’t broken through the skin yet.
Two days later, the swelling had gone down, and the tender feeling had subsided. My face felt almost as if nothing had happened.
Returning four weeks later for the follow-up treatment, Selkon peered intently at my face and said she could notice a little change. I personally hadn’t noticed anything, but she agreed that was to be expected for the first treatment.
I’m not sure if it was because I knew what to expect this time and was anticipating it, but the injections felt slightly more painful this time, although again, the pain was short-lived. I was in and out of the treatment room within 15 minutes.
Selkon told me to look out for changes in my skin texture (it should appear firmer and more hydrated) and my jawline (it should be lifted and “less jowly”. Ouch. I didn’t know I was jowly... that hurt more than the injections).
The place
Clinic 42, 321 Manukau Rd, Epsom. Clinic42.co.nz
The price
Lift and Glow is exclusive to Clinic 42 and is priced at $1275 per treatment.
The verdict
My skin is more hydrated than before, with a more even skin tone. I can see a reduction in the prominence of my marionette lines in the before and after pics.
I’ve had a few people tell me I’ve lost weight – which I absolutely haven’t, it’s the silly season! – so I can only put that down to the treatment resulting in more definition to my cheekbones, making my face look more contoured.
If you’re considering the treatment yourself, it’s important to be aware results are incredibly subtle.
It’s not for people who are looking for a big transformation, rather those who want to look rested and rejuvenated, without obvious signs you’ve had work done.
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