Our outlets will be closed from 26 Mar (Tue) to 27 Mar (Wed) for our annual team bonding event. We will resume operations on 28 Mar (Thu).
Our outlets will be closed from 26 Mar (Tue) to 27 Mar (Wed) for our annual team bonding event. We will resume operations on 28 Mar (Thu).

The Difference Between Profhilo vs Fillers vs Botox

Like Julie Andrews sang in the classic, The Sound of Music: “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start… When you read, you begin with A-B-C, when you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi,” – and when you consider cosmetic injections, you begin with Profhilo, Fillers, and Botox!

Do a quick Google on cosmetic injections and you’ll be bombarded with articles comparing the different treatments. It can be difficult to know where to start taking in all the right information that you need to know, and even more difficult to try and piece together which treatment might be the right one for you. Let’s help you break things down today by giving you an understandable and concise guide to Profhilo vs Fillers vs Botox:

  • Considerations about what cosmetic injections are,
  • Figuring out which injectable is right for you,
  • Whether there are any risk and safety aspects to cosmetic injections,
  • What you may have to do in the weeks and hours leading up to cosmetic injections,
  • What you need to do AFTER cosmetic injections, and
  • How long those cosmetic injectables will last.

Read on to find out more!

I’m Considering Cosmetic Injections. Where to Start?

Socrates, the Greek philosopher from Athens and known as the founding father of Western philosophy, is often credited with the saying, “The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.” Whether or not Socrates really uttered those words is unknown, but the meaning behind this phrase is captured well. To know whether something is good or right for you, is to understand just exactly what those things are. After all, wisdom is choosing the right thing at the right time – cosmetic injectables included.

Let’s start with understanding the ‘definition of terms’ – what exactly is Profilo, fillers, and Botox?

Profhilo

Profhilo is an injectable skin treatment. The syringe that is used in Profhilo is filled with a stable and highly concentrated form of hyaluronic acid, which has a mixture of both low and high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Due to the mix of the low and high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid, it creates a stable hybrid complex which improves the viscosity and elasticity of the formulation compared to other generic hyaluronic acid skin injections on the market. It is a runny liquid which is injected into the facial tissue of individuals who are experiencing skin laxity and dehydration.

Profhilo has also been found to contain anti-inflammatory properties, and can be helpful for certain inflammatory conditions such as rosacea and eczema.

profhilo

One of Profhilo’s added benefits is its low number of injection points. These injection points are called Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP), and Profhilo only requires 5 BAP points on each side of the face, creating 10 injection points in total for the whole face. They can also be used over the hands and décolletage, a part of the body that is often overlooked. Located south of your chin, the décolletage is the area of your neck and chest. These are critical cosmetic areas that often get overlooked because, just like your face, these parts of your body are prone to sun exposure and premature ageing but are often not taken care of as well as the face.

That is why people often say that the easiest way to identify a person’s age is not by looking at the wrinkles on their face, but by looking at their neck and hands. When people choose to utilise Profhilo over their face, neck and hands, it helps to plump up the skin tissues, increase hydration levels, and also stimulates the natural regeneration of collagen and elastin fibres in the skin cells which have started to degrade naturally over time.

Read More: Profhilo Singapore – What You Need To Know!

Injectable fillers

Injectable fillers are also called face fillers. This category of filler augmentation encompasses nose fillers, forehead fillers, brow fillers, lip fillers, and also cheek fillers, and are often used to help increase the volume in the skin. This creates a lifted and contoured look. Similar to Profhilo, injectable fillers often use hyaluronic acid-based fluid to create such volume/augmentation in the face, although of a different composition and density.

These hyaluronic acid fillers will be absorbed naturally into your body over time and you have the option of choosing to undergo another filler procedure if you would like to maintain those changes. Individuals who go for fillers often like to have a bit more pronounced changes in their facial features, such as a higher nose bridge, plumper cheeks to counter the sagging effects of ageing, or a sharper chin and jawline to change the look of a naturally small chin/retracted jaw. Fillers can do a great job in balancing out your facial asymmetries as well, as some people find that one side of their face does not look balanced compared to the other side. And of course, one of the most popular injectable fillers that people opt for are lip fillers, to create a more beautiful pout.

Profhilo is a skin treatment, whereas fillers are NOT a skin treatment. Fillers do not claim to improve skin hydration levels, although a good side effect of hyaluronic acid-based fillers is that it may start to stimulate your skin tissues to generate more collagen and elastin, just like Profhilo injections. As Profhilo injections cannot increase the volume in the facial tissues, Profhilo cannot change or contour the shape of your face like fillers can.

Read More: Things To Know About Face Fillers In Singapore

Botox

Botox is a purified protein extracted from the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The purified form of Botulinum Type A contains just 1 out of the 8 types of botulinum toxin produced by the Clostridium bacteria, is processed safely, and does not produce the same life-threatening harm of botulism poisoning to the body. In fact, it functions well to ‘paralyse’ the muscles which are involved in constant frowning which create deep wrinkles and lines. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds! You won’t come out of a Botox procedure looking perpetually shocked (as long as the doctor performing the procedure knows what he or she is doing).

botox injection

Botox actually works by binding to the surface of nerve ending receptors. When a Botox-Receptor complex is formed, acetylcholine release is blocked. 

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that delivers signals for a muscle to contact. When Botox blocks acetylcholine, it causes the relaxation of local muscles that is reversible over time. This causes facial wrinkles to reduce because most wrinkles are the result of constant facial muscle contractions. You can expect the Botox procedure results to last a good 4-6 months.

Botox is not a skin treatment, nor a filler treatment. Botox aims to target muscle contractions which create wrinkles. Profhilo hydrates and plumps up the skin which aids in reducing fine lines, but cannot prevent wrinkles from forming. Fillers may help with deep wrinkles in combination with Botox – the Botox helps to prevent further wrinkling, and fillers can create more volume under the wrinkled skin to smooth out any deep creases.

Read More: What You Should Know Before Getting Botox In Singapore?

Which Injectable Is Right for me?

After fully understanding what the differences between Profhilo, injectable fillers, and Botox are, we can then have a better clue on which injectable is right for you!

Type of injectable

Suitable for…

PROFHILO

∙ Individuals with ageing skin (dryness, dullness, fine lines)

∙ Individuals who want a hydrated, glowing, and radiant natural look of their bare skin

∙ Those who want to maintain the elasticity and hydration of their skin, even before signs of ageing begin

FILLERS

∙ Individuals experiencing sagging skin (droopy cheeks, eyelids)

∙ Individuals who want to contour the shape of their face better (e.g. plumper cheeks, fuller lips)

∙ Individuals who want to change the shape of certain face features (e.g. high nose bridge, sharper chin and jawline)

∙ Those who want to ‘fill up’ the deep creases from deep wrinkles

BOTOX

∙ Those who want to smoothen out wrinkles and fine lines

∙ Those who are in their mid to late 20s and early 30s and want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles

Are Fillers and Botox Safe?

Fillers are very safe when the procedure is done by a licensed professional. Whenever performing filler injections, your licensed professional needs to be someone who has experience with cosmetic procedures – you’re not going to go to your GP for a filler augmentation. The blood vessels around the eye and nose are areas of caution because they are in continuity with the blood vessels in the back of the retina and the back of the eye. A botched filler procedure by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing can result in blindness, although rare.

Botox is also safe for cosmetic use. Did you know that ‘Botox’ is actually a brand, and not just a term to signify injections that help to ‘freeze’ wrinkles? Yes, the brand Botox has achieved its household name because of the fact that it has undergone pharmaceutical testing and is the only FDA-approved procedure for treating frown lines and crow’s feet. Those who do their research choose Botox because they believe in the safety and efficacy of the brand.

What Do I Do Before Injections?

One Week Before

Avoid medications and substances that thin your blood. This includes supplements like ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort, garlic, and ginseng. Consult with your doctor if you can be taken off medications like Aspirin or Warfarin if you are using them for medical purposes.

Two Days Before

Since injectables will use needles to breach your skin barrier, it will be a good idea to lay off any products which can cause further skin sensitivity or potentially cause wounds. This means taking a short break from retinols or retinoids, facial acids (AHAs, BHAs, PHAs), and avoiding any abrasive facial procedures like scrubs, waxing, tweezing, threading, or lasers.

24 Hours Before

Avoid any alcoholic beverages, which can dilate blood vessels and cause you to be more prone to bleeding during the procedure!

What Do I Do After Profhilo?

Profhilo downtime is relatively short, since there are minimal points of injection. There may be some mild itchiness or swelling like a mosquito bite over the injections points; sensitive or thin skin may be prone to mild bruising. Profhilo avoids areas of large blood vessels, so bruising is minimal for a few days. Makeup can be worn to cover any redness after, and avoid strenuous exercises for 2-3 days while the bruise recovers.

What Do I Do After Fillers?

Some swelling or bruising may be present for a couple of days after the procedure, more than Profhilo treatments in Singapore due to a larger size of needle used to inject the filler into the skin. Apply ice over any swollen areas to calm it down, and avoid excessive massage, lasers, facials, or flying overseas for the next 2 weeks.

What Do I Do After Botox?

Downtime is also usually kept to a minimum after Botox, and you can typically even head back to work right after. Avoid any saunas or hot tubs for at least 4 hours to help prevent bruising (heat increases blood dilation), and strenuous exercise for 24 hours.

How Long Do Injectables Last?

  • Profhilo injections usually require 2 treatments with 1 month in between for good effects, and can last 6-9 months before a maintenance session is needed.
  • Fillers can last 6-12 months, depending on the amount, location, and type of filler used. Certain fillers such as chin fillers may last up to 24 months.
  • Botox injectables tend to last for 3-4 months before they start to wear off and a repeat procedure is done.

 

Remember, a combination of cosmetic injectables can also be done to achieve the results that you want. It’s not always Profhilo vs. Fillers or Profhilo vs. Botox, but it can also be Profhilo AND fillers, or fillers AND Botox. That’s the beauty of aesthetics – it’s never a one size fits all, but more like multiple fits for your size.

If you are unsure about any treatments, always seek a consultation with a professional. Your doctor should take the time to sit with you and understand your skincare concerns and goals. They will also ask you questions relevant to your medical history or lifestyle, and piece those bits of information together with your current skincare history. This helps to guide their examination of your current state of skin as well.Always disclose whether you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding as some procedures may not be suitable for you. At SL Aesthetic, we take your health and beauty seriously – book an appointment today.

 

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