Anti-aging skin injectables – Comparing Rejuran and Profhilo

There are many treatments on the market designed to combat aging skin. Among them, injectables are one of the most common ones. However, there are so many options available that many are often spoilt for choice.

To help you make a decision, we will look at of the most popular anti-aging injectables on the market: Rejuran and Profhilo, and compare them to help you make an informed decision.

Rejuran

Rejuran is a skin injectable designed to counter skin aging processes by boosting skin rejuvenation, giving the skin a young, “baby-like” appearance. The main active component in Rejuran is polydeoxyribonucletides (PDRN).

Rejuran achieves skin rejuvenation and anti-aging effects via the following:

• PDRN upregulates expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and provides skin tissue with nucleotides, the latter which are building blocks of DNA. This actively promotes cell growth, formation of new tissue and skin capillaries. This translates to improved natural skin regeneration and wound healing
• Increased growth and activity of dermal fibroblasts, cells which produce structural proteins like collagen, as well as important molecules like glycosaminoglycans. Collagen tightens the skin and improves elasticity, while glycosaminoglycans like hyaluronic acid improves hydration, both of which are important in reducing signs of aging
• Thickening of the skin barrier, which increase protection against harmful environmental effects that cause premature aging.
• Reduced inflammation by increasing production of anti-inflammatory agents, while reducing that of pro-inflammatory agents.

Overall, the following effects can be expected from Rejuran treatment:

• Improved skin hydration, elasticity and rejuvenation
• Reduced wrinkles, pores, pigmentation and scars
• Improved skin tone
• Better protection against harmful environmental stimuli

 

Additionally, PDRN in Rejuran is sourced from salmon DNA, which is highly biocompatible with human skin. This makes Rejuran very safe to use with little to no risk of adverse immune responses.

Profhilo

On the other hand, we have Profhilo, an injectable treatment for skin laxity and hydration. Unlike Rejuran, its main active component is hyaluronic acid (HA), also known as hyaluronan, which is commonly used in skin boosters and dermal fillers. However, Profhilo is not a skin booster. It belongs to a new type of skin injectable: Skin bioremodelling treatment.

To understand how Profhilo works, we need to first understand its components. Profhilo is the first HA-based injectable to complex both Low-molecular weight and High-molecular weight HA (L-HA and H-HA) without the use of any chemical stabilisers like BDDE. This is achieved by thermally cross-linking L-HA and H-HA using patented technology. Moreover, having a complex of 32mg of L-HA and H-HA each in a 2ml syringe, Profhilo has the highest total concentration of HA in on the market. This ensures that every single syringe does much more than traditional skin boosters.

Now that we understand what is Profhilo, we can see how it works. Profhilo mainly acts via the following processes:

• L-HA immediately begins to boost hydration and regenerative processes in the skin. The cross-linked complexes allow for sustained release of L-HA, providing these effects over several months
• H-HA complexes directly provide structure and volume to the skin, lifting and tightening the skin
• The slow release of HA from the complexes stimulates collagen and elastin production in the skin, which effectively reinforces support structures in the skin via a bioremodelling process, improving skin texture

Overall, the following effects can be expected:

• Greatly increased skin hydration
• Improved skin texture and reduced sagging from bioremodelling effects
• Improved skin regeneration
• Reduced fine lines and wrinkles

Profhilo is also one of the safest products on the market. With no additional chemical stabilisers, you can be assured that the risks of side effects are minimal. Moreover, the unique technology used to complex the HA molecules reduces the risks of post-treatment inflammation. Together, there risks of Profhilo is much less compared to traditional skin boosters.

How different are Profhilo and Rejuran?

At a glance, Profhilo and Rejuran are very similar, as they both achieve the following effects:

• Increased skin regeneration/rejuvenation
• Improved hydration
• Reducing fine lines and wrinkles

However, their similarities end here. The 2 treatments have many differences as listed below:

• Profhilo and Rejuran act via different mechanisms

Because Profhilo and Rejuran have different active components, they act via different mechanisms in the skin.

PDRH in Rejuran achieves skin rejuvenation at the cellular level by stimulating fibroblast and skin tissue proliferation, as well as directly providing DNA building blocks. The increased fibroblast activity then increases production of collagen, as well as glycosaminoglycans including HA. All of these contribute to skin regenerative processes.

On the other hand, Profhilo acts on a different level. By directly providing HA to the dermal tissue, Profhilo acts further down the metabolic pathway as compared to Rejuran. This means that Profhilo has a more direct effect on the skin in both providing hydration and reducing sagging. However, it also means that Profhilo has a narrower, but more specialised range of effects.

• Profhilo and Rejuran are suitable for treating different conditions

As mentioned before, it is indeed true that Profhilo and Rejuran share some similar effects. However, because they act via different mechanisms, they achieve these effects at different scales/intensities, and hence are suitable for treating different conditions

Rejuran targets fibroblast proliferation and growth factors. Therefore, it has better skin rejuvenation and repair effects compared to Profhilo. In fact, Rejuran can be used to treat mild acne scars and shrink pores some cases, which Profhilo is unlikely to achieve. Moreover, Rejuran can increase the thickness of the protective layer of the skin, making it less susceptible to harmful environmental effects. This is an effect that Profhilo does not have.

On the other hand, Profhilo directly provides HA to dermal tissue. It is hence more effective at achieving skin hydration. Also, Profhilo’s bioremodelling effects can provide a general lifting effect to the face, reducing sagging skin, which is something Rejuran is less effective at. These make Profhilo more suitable for those with dry, sagging skin.

• Profhilo and Rejuran have different delivery protocols/ injection methods

Although both Profhilo and Rejuran are injected into the skin, they have very different treatment protocols and injection methods

Injection of Profhilo is performed on 10 strategically selected Bio-Aesthetic Points on the lower parts of the face (the cheekbones and below) with 5 points on each side, or on the neck. At each point, 0.2ml of Profhilo is injected. The face is then gently massaged to distribute the product. From this, we can see that Profhilo works mainly on the lower parts of the face or the neck. It is theoretically possible to use Profhilo on the upper parts of the face, but it is not carried out in practice as there is currently no developed protocol for this. The treatment protocol for Profhilo is usually 2 initial sessions one month apart, followed by single sessions every 6 months afterwards

On the other hand, Rejuran is typically delivered via multiple micro-injections into all parts of the face. This can be done by hand, or preferably by a precisely controlled injector gun. This means that unlike Profhilo, Rejuran can be delivered to all parts of the face. Unlike Profhilo, the recommended treatment protocol for Rejuran is 3 initial sessions 1 month apart, followed by single sessions every 6 months afterwards.

Summary of differences

Treatment	Profhilo	Rejuran
Active component	Hyaluronic acid complexes (Both L-HA and H-HA)	Polydeoxyribonucletides
Mechanism	Directly provides hydration and reducing sagging     Acts lower down the metabolic pathway	Stimulates cellular proliferation to accelerate skin rejuvenation   Acts higher up the metabolic pathway
More effective in	Providing hydration to dry skin   Bioremodelling aged, sagging skin	Boosting skin regeneration and wound repair, including mild acne scars and pigmentation   Strengthening protective layer of skin
Focus area	Lower face and neck	The entire face
Injection method	5 strategically selected Bio-Aesthetic Points on each side of the face/neck	Micro-injections throughout the face
Recommended treatment Protocol	2 Sessions 1 month apart, 1 Follow-up session every 6 months	3 Sessions 1 month apart, 1 Follow-up session every 6 months

Can I have Profhilo and Rejuran together?

Profhilo and Rejuran can certainly be combined in a more holistic treatment package. In fact, because the 2 work via different mechanisms, the have synergistic effects with each other. Nonetheless, it is important to consult our doctors regarding this, as each individual may have different underlying conditions that may prevent them from having any of these treatments.

Conclusion

Rejuran and Profhilo are both wonderful injectable skin treatments that can help combat aging skin. Although the 2 share some similarities, there are significantly different when you analyse them closely. In fact, the differences allow them to complement each other very well.

What are you waiting for? Book an appointment with us now!