If you know someone who suddenly togel hongkong has especially gleamy, glowy skin—as though they’ve just walked out of a facial or applied the dewiest hydrator—they may have been among the first to try Skinvive, a buzzy new treatment from Juvéderm. The so-called “injectable moisturizer,” which was FDA approved in June, has arrived in dermatologists’ offices around the country, and patients—some of whom had been flying to Europe to get Profhilo, a similar type of skin-perfecting filler not yet approved in the US—are clamoring for it. But what is it? And is it right for you? Here, experts explain the science behind this hyaluronic acid-based breakthrough procedure, and why it may soon become an essential part of your regimen.
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What is Skinvive?
It is the first approved “intradermal” filler—as in, a filler designed specifically to be injected very superficially into the epidermis—in the United States. “It really is the first novel class of fillers that we’ve seen in many, many years,” says New York dermatologist Macrene Alexiades, MD, PhD, who was a lead clinical investigator on the efficacy of Skinvive. Unlike traditional hyaluronic acid fillers, which are used to contour and lift the face, Skinvive targets the quality of the skin itself, hydrating from within to erase crepiness and smooth fine lines. “In the past, our go-to for things like fine lines and wrinkles on the cheeks would be laser resurfacing,” Alexiades says, “and now we have an injectable alternative in our toolkit to improve skin smoothness. It’s very exciting.”
In Europe, fillers like Skinvive are called “skin boosters,” which is an accurate description—their purpose is not to pump up your pout or define your jawline, but simply to make your complexion look healthier and softer.
How is it administered?
Like other hyaluronic acid fillers, Skinvive is injected into the skin with a syringe. But the similarity stops there. Skinvive is a micro-droplet hyaluronic acid preparation, meaning that it is water-like in consistency, and it is injected very shallowly into a grid of multiple sites across the cheeks. Once injected, Skinvive diffuses into the skin, where it draws in water molecules to activate long-lasting hydration.
Currently, Skinvive is only approved for the cheeks, but indications are that it will show off-label efficacy in hard-to-treat areas such as the neck. A full facial treatment typically only takes about 15 minutes.
Who is a good candidate for Skinvive?
Skinvive is approved for use in adults over the age of 21 and for all Fitzpatrick Skin Types (types I-VI, i.e., all skin types from lightest to darkest), so basically anyone looking to give their complexion a soft-focus effect is a candidate. “In my practice, we’ve been using Skinvive on patients of all ages,” says New York dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. “We’ve seen patients looking for a skin textural quality change, those who are interested in improving cheek skin smoothness and hydration because they have dry skin, as well as filler patients who are losing hyaluronic acid due to aging and have crepe-y skin.” Because Skinvive is injected so superficially, Engelman says, “the HA attracts water molecules to produce that hydrated effect. As this layer gets more robust, some people will also see an improvement of redness and little bumps from scars.”
How is Skinvive different from Profhilo?
Profhilo, a favorite in the UK and Europe, is a similar low viscosity hyaluronic acid filler that diffuses in skin to smooth out wrinkles, but the formulation is significantly different. Profhilo typically requires more injections that to be topped up every few months, for example, while Skinvive users see results after one session that last much longer.
How long do results last?
You can expect an immediate improvement in fine lines immediately after Skinvive is injected, while the formal studies show results from a few weeks post-procedure that last six months. “The term that many of the study subjects used was ‘glow,’” Alexiades says. “They reported that a youthful glow had been restored to dull skin, and that it continued out to six months.” Researchers also measured a significant increase in aquaporin—a water channel protein that indicates increased skin hydration—present through the six month mark.
Are there any side effects?
While there is essentially no downtime, patients can expect slight swelling at the injection spots for a few hours after treatment, and possible bruising that may last a few days.
How much does Skinvive cost?
Depending on the practitioner, expect to pay between $600 and $1,000 per treatment.