What is Profhilo?

Skin boosters, such as Profhilo can help to improve skin hydration and plumpness and reduce the appearance of fine lines through a series of small injections that add hyaluronic acid to the skin. During each treatment 10 injections are administered to specific areas on the face. There may be some discomfort during the injections, however this is usually well tolerated.

During a single treatment approximately 2ml of Profhilo is injected. After the treatment you will notice bumps in the skin at the site of the injections. These will disperse over the next 24-48 hours and you may notice an improvement in skin hydration and plumpness. A second session is advised after 1 month and you will see maximal benefits a few weeks after this second session. Benefits will last for up to 6-8 months after which time you may need top up sessions every 6 months or so.

Profhilo can improve the hydration and plumpness of the skin, however it will not replace volume loss under the skin surface. It is not an effective treatment for deep wrinkles. Alternatives to treatment include doing nothing, topical treatments, chemical peels, laser treatments, dermal fillers, forehead/brow lift, facelift and botulinum toxin injections.

Treatment is generally not medically necessary and is performed for cosmetic purposes and therefore it is very important that you are aware of the potential risks of treatment when deciding whether this treatment is right for you.

Contraindications

It is essential that you inform Dr Lynch if you any of the following are relevant as the treatment may not be safe or suitable for you:

1. Allergy to Profhilo Components: Known allergies to any components of the filler, such as hyaluronic acid or lidocaine (local anaesthetic).
2. Severe Allergies or Anaphylaxis: Patients with a history of severe allergies or anaphylaxis, especially to bacterial proteins..
3. Immunosupression: Immunosupressive medications or conditions that suppress the immune system can increase the risk of infection or other adverse consequences.
4. Autoimmune Diseases or chronic healthy problems: Certain autoimmune conditions, like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, may increase the risk of adverse reactions or complications.
5. Bleeding disorders or blood thinning medication: These increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Aspirin, rivaroxaban, exoxaban, clopidogrel, warfarin, vitamin E, ibuprofen and naproxen can all thin the blood.
6. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Dermal fillers and hyaluronidase are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women due to the lack of research on the effects on the fetus or infant.
7. Previous Bad Reactions to Fillers: Patients who have had previous negative reactions to dermal fillers should avoid further treatments.
8. Skin Infections: Any active skin infections, such as cold sores or bacterial infection. Please inform Dr Lynch if you suffer from frequent cold sores as it may be advisable to take a tablet medication to reduce this risk after injection.
9. Skin Conditions at Injection Sites: Conditions like eczema, acne or psoriasis.
10. Recent Profhilo or Dermal Fillers: A minimum of 4 weeks should be allowed before repeating Profhilo or dermal filler injections to the same site.
11. Hypertrophic or keloid scars: If you have experienced lumpy or unsightly scars or have a family history of this there is an increased risk of developing unsightly scarring due to injections. .

Limitations of treatment

• Profhilo may not have the desired effect initially or later.
• The final outcome will take a number of weeks to become fully apparent.
• Treatments are temporary as hyaluronic acid will dissolve over time.
• The product may last for a longer or shorter time than usually expected.
• There will often be swelling immediately after the procedure with lumps at the injections sites. This usually resolves within 2 weeks.

Risks of Profhilo

Profhilo injections are generally safe with the vast majority of patients having satisfactory outcomes. As a Dermatological Surgeon, Dr Lynch is very familiar with facial anatomy. Nevertheless it is important that you are aware of the potential risks of treatment:-

• Pain: There will be some degree of pain and discomfort during the injections. This is usually manageable. Pain can be reduced by the application of a topical anaesthetic cream such as EMLA. Rarely pain can persist or very rarely fail to resolve.
• Injection site reaction: Any injection can cause inflammation, itching, scarring, keloid scar formation, pins and needles, burning, pain, decreased sensation / numbness, tenderness, swelling, redness, muscle twitching, increased pigmentation, decreased pigmentation, redness. Rarely these can be permanent.
• Bleeding, bruising, haematoma, haemosiderin staining: Bruising is common and usually will peak 1-2 days after the procedure. Rarely there can be more significant bruising or a blood collection under the surface (haematoma) and very rarely this may require surgical drainage. Very rarely brusing or bleeding under the surface of the skin can lead to iron deposition "haemosiderin" in the skin leaving a permanent area of pigmentation.
• Infection:: Injections may trigger bacterial infection or herpetic infection (e.g. cold sores or shingles). Occasionally a deeper infection such as an abscess can develop. Very rarely cosmetic injections can lead to rare or unusual infections that may persist for a long period of time and prove resistant to treatment.
• Swelling, lumpiness, nodules: Nodules may form immediately or later, and may rarely be permanent. There can also be persistent swelling and lumpiness. Occasionally patients may develop an inflammatory reaction to the Profhilo known as granuloma formation. This can occur up to several months after the treatment and results in lumps, swelling and inflammation which can be difficult to treat.
• Vascular occlusion (very rare): In rare instances, blood supply to areas of the face may be affected resulting in tissue death, ulceration and potentially loss of tissue and severe scarring which is permanent.
• Blindness (extremely rare): This is an extremely rare complication and occurs when hyaluronic acid enters blood vessels that can communicate with those that supply the eye.
• Tyndall effect: In thin areas of skin Profhilo may cause a blue or brown discoloration of the skin surface.
• Facial assymetry: Although good results are expected, it is possible that after treatment the face may appear uneven as some areas may be greater affected by the product than others.
• Failure to achieve the desired outcome: There is no guarantee as to the results that can be obtained through treatment. As with any treatment, you may not be satisfied with the results.
• Local anaesthetic reaction: Local anaesthetic contained in some fillers may cause allergy, cardiac arrhythmias, anaphylaxis or, extremely rarely, death. Topical lidocaine can also cause allergy or irritation.
• Allergic reaction: There is a very small risk of allergic (anaphylactic) reaction which can be serious or life threatening.
• Feeling faint or unwell: Occasionally patients can feel faint or unwell during or after cosmetic injections.
• Additional risks: Hyaluronic acid-based fillers have been used for many years, however it is possible that additional risks or complications become apparent in the future that are not currently recognised.

Aftercare

It is essential to follow aftercare instructions carefully to ensure the best results, minimize the risk of side effects and detect any complications early. This can be found at the following location: www.drmagnuslynch.com/profhilo-aftercare or by following the QR code. Please save the link on your phone so that you have it available.

See the aftercare information for full details, some key points include:-

• Avoid touching the treated area or applying products for 24 hours following treatment. Do not massage the bumps present at injection sites.
• Do not expose the area to intense heat, for example sauna, hot showers, sunbeds, sunbathing etc until the swelling has resolved. Also avoid intense cold.
• Use sun protection to the sites of injection for a minimum of 3 months afterwards.
• Do not participate in strenuous exercise for 48 hours after your procedure as it can cause migration of filler due to increased blood flow and excess bruising/ swelling.
• Avoid alcohol and the use of aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen for 24 hours following treatment as they increase the risk of bruising or bleeding.
• You may eat and drink as normal, however avoid hot drinks if you have numbness of the lips following the injections.
• Avoid facials, micro-dermabrasion, microneedling, chemical peels, laser, IPL or sun beds for at least 14 days after treatment.
• Avoid flying for at least 48 hours after treatment as changes in air pressure in aeroplanes may increase swelling.
• Delayed vascular occlusion: Usually a vascular occlusion is obvious at the time of performing the injection however rarely it may become apparent after you have left. You should contact Dr Lynch if you notice whitening of the injected area, worsening pain, numbness/tingling, fever, chills, disruption of vision or eye movement, if the area feels cold to the touch or if there is blotchy discoloration of the skin.

Other important information

• Profhilo is charged per treatment and each treatment consists of 2ml.
• The cost of treatment does not include the cost of additional medical care should complications arise.
• You should contact Dr Lynch immediately if you have any concerns following the treatment, however the clinic is not open 24 hours and it will not be possible to review you in person out of hours.