Polynucleotides & Profhilo: Aesthetic Treatments for Summer Skin Concerns

Polynucleotides and Profhilo are two of the most effective aesthetic treatments for tackling common summer skin concerns. Both address the dehydration, dullness, fine lines, and uneven skin tone that warm weather can exacerbate.

As temperatures rise and UV exposure increases, patients turn to aesthetic practitioners for summer skin solutions. So, let us explain how you can prepare to meet their needs.

In this article, we cover:

• How polynucleotides and Profhilo treatments work
• Which summer skin concerns they target
• Clinical considerations around safe, efficient treatment approaches
• Can polynucleotides and Profhilo be combined?
• Treatment planning to deliver optimal summer skin results for your patients
• Details of our authorised Profhilo training and Polynucleotides course, so you can gain certification in these popular treatments, ready to meet demand!

Profhilo for Summer Skin: Deep Hydration and Bio Remodelling

What Profhilo does for patients on a clinical level

Profhilo deeply hydrates and tackles fine lines and skin laxity, with results that generally last for six months. It's not a filler and it's not a conventional skin booster. Often referred to as an “injectable moisturiser”, even that doesn’t give the full picture. 

Profhilo truly sits in a category of its own, thanks to patented NAHYCO technology. This provides a two-pronged delivery of high concentrations of hyaluronic acid in both fast-release and slow-release forms.

This hydration, along with collagen and elastin stimulation, is responsible for what patients often call the "Profhilo glow." 

Arguably, this multi-award-winning injectable is so successful because it's a fantastic multitasker offering sustained stimulation for skin remodelling.

It’s also one of only a handful of aesthetic treatments that patients know by name. Widespread, positive media coverage has led to solid name recognition and an understanding of what Profhilo does, which helps do your marketing for you!

Summer skin concerns Profhilo treatments addresses

For aesthetics patients struggling at this time of year, Profhilo is particularly well suited to:

• Intense rehydration of dehydrated, thirsty skin
• Improving skin quality and radiance to counteract dullness
• Stimulating collagen and elastin to reduce fine lines
• Tackling skin laxity caused by UV-related collagen breakdown
• Restoring overall skin quality, texture, and tone.

It's also suitable for the neck, chest and body, making it useful for treating sun-damaged skin beyond the face. 

What does Profhilo treatment involve?

As always, a thorough clinical consultation including a full medical history and facial assessment, comes first. You'll review:

• Skin quality
• Laxity
• Hydration levels
• Overall skin condition
• Signs of ageing such as fine lines.

Profhilo is suitable for patients with dehydrated, lax, or ageing skin who want improvements to their skin quality rather than added volume.

The official Profhilo protocol involves two sessions, four weeks apart, where the treatment is administered using the BAP (Bio Aesthetic Points) technique. This uses five specific injection points on each side of the face or 10 injection points on the neck.

Placement is designed to allow the product to spread evenly through the tissue. Each point is injected with a small bolus using a fine needle. It’s a precise technique but is relatively straightforward, especially for those comfortable with injecting dermal fillers.

Profhilo results are based on attending two sessions

Results from the first two sessions generally last up to six months, after which a single maintenance session is typically sufficient to sustain them. This is why it’s vital your patients understand success is based on this two-part treatment.

The official IBSA protocol to see the best results is 2-3 treatments, 4 weeks apart, and then either 2 treatments repeated every 6 months, or 1 treatment repeated every 3 months. In reality, most patients will return once every 6 months.

A review at around four-to-six weeks after the second session lets you assess results and plan next steps. Patients often notice improved skin quality and hydration within a few weeks of their first appointment. The second session builds on this, with the most visible results emerging in the weeks following. 

Standardised photography at each stage is not just a medicolegal requirement. It can really help during clinical assessment to accurately demonstrate results, leading to improved patient satisfaction.

Polynucleotides for Summer Skin: Stimulation and Repair

How do polynucleotides work?

Cosmetic doctor and Harley Academy clinical trainer, Dr Lindsay Jones explains: "To understand what polynucleotides are, we have to return to basic biochemistry. Nucleotides are organic molecules made up of sugar, phosphate and a nitrogen-containing base. When these are grouped in a chain, they form a polynucleotide, for example, DNA and RNA.

"Different polynucleotides can stimulate dermal fibroblasts, adipocytes and osteoblasts and depending on their design, improve skin, fat, and bone function. Overall, they improve skin hydration, have antioxidant action, and improve collagen and elastin within the skin."

These properties make polynucleotides particularly valuable in summer. Their antioxidant action helps counter UV-related oxidative stress, whilst a collagen-stimulating mechanism works on longer-term skin repair.

Summer skin concerns polynucleotide injections can address

Polynucleotides are an excellent tool for tackling the following summer-related complaints:

• Dehydration and reduced skin elasticity
• Fine lines and crepey skin texture
• Uneven skin tone
• Post-inflammatory skin damage
• Dullness and poor skin quality
• Under-eye concerns including dark circles and fine lines.

Often requested specifically for the under eyes, polynucleotides can also be used to treat the whole face and neck.

Managing patient expectations around polynucleotide results

It's worth noting that polynucleotides aren't an instant fix. Seeing genuine aesthetic results takes time, because fibroblasts take time to activate and start producing collagen and elastin. 

Clinical change takes time, so be prepared to manage expectations during your consultation. Patients committing to a summer treatment programme will see the best results heading into autumn.

Dr Lindsay advises that "polynucleotide treatments often require a course of 3-4 sessions about 2-4 weeks apart. Sessions also depend on the specific product protocol and should be followed by regular maintenance doses. So, patients need to be committed to regular treatments and have the budget to maintain the results."

Can Polynucleotides and Profhilo Be Used Together?

The short answer is: not in the same session.

Combining polynucleotides and Profhilo in a single appointment creates too much tissue trauma and isn't clinically appropriate. You'd need to book patients in for separate sessions, allowing sufficient time between appointments for tissue to settle and treatment effects to start developing.

A practical approach is to develop a staged treatment plan. Depending on your patient's primary concerns, you might lead with one treatment, then introduce the other at a later appointment. This also supports patient retention and regular bookings.

Always consider the patient’s general skin regimen - both at-home and in-clinic - when formulating bespoke treatment plans. Their injectable results will often benefit from a solid skincare routine with daily SPF use, so it’s worth advising on this if it’s within your scope.

Contraindications and Caution

Polynucleotides

Dr Lindsay warns that "polynucleotides used in aesthetics are generally derived from fish gonads, whereas hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are usually derived from bacterial fermentation. Thus, polynucleotides cannot be used in patients with fish allergies."

You should also make vegetarian or vegan patients aware of the product's origin before proceeding.

Post-treatment, patients should expect some response. Dr Lindsay advises that "there is often an initial marked inflammatory response. This can result in redness and swelling over the first few days post-treatment, which patients need to be aware of. There are also all the usual risks of breaching the skin barrier such as bruising, infection and allergic response."

In summer, it's important to discuss direct sun avoidance, such as sunbathing, and diligent SPF 30+ use during the recovery window. Be very clear when explaining these points, as patients can assume “sun avoidance” means they cannot go outside at all.

Profhilo

It’s important to understand that Profhilo cannot be supplied to aesthetics practitioners nor administered to patients without evidence of successful completion of the appropriate training authorised by its distributor (IBSA). For example, your Harley Academy Profhilo Training Course certificate, which is awarded at the end of your practical session.

Outside of this cautionary point, Profhilo has a solid safety profile and a standard aftercare protocol.

Profhilo Training at Harley Academy

About our certified Profhilo course

We’ve partnered with IBSA to offer authorised, certified Profhilo training in the UK, for both face and body applications. This is the official Profhilo Training Course, available to take at Harley Academy London and Harley Academy Manchester. 

This includes four hours of pre-course eLearning plus a half-day of in-clinic practical training.

During your in-person session, you’ll recap your eLearning and watch a treatment demonstration before treating your first Profhilo patients, provided by us. You’ll be guided and supported throughout by our experienced clinical trainers.

Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate which enables you to purchase genuine Profhilo supplies from authorised pharmacy partners.

What you'll learn on our Profhilo Training Course:

• The science behind NAHYCO technology and hyaluronic acid
• Patient selection, consultation, and treatment planning
• Safe injection techniques for face, neck, and body
• Managing common side effects and complications
• Aftercare protocols.

Polynucleotides Training at Harley Academy

About the Course

Harley Academy's CPD-accredited, certified Polynucleotides Training Course provides personalised practical mentoring and pre-course eLearning. It’s methodically designed to help aesthetic practitioners deliver safe, effective polynucleotide treatments to patients, focusing on the under eyes and full face applications.

Although this is a standalone course, it is also available via two other routes. 

• This polynucleotides course is included in our certified Cosmetic Dermatology Course, alongside training in skin assessments, multi-modal treatment planning, microneedling, chemical peels, skin injectables and more. 
• It is also included in our Level 7+ programme. This combines our Ofqual-regulated and JCCP-approved Level 7 Diploma in Cosmetic Injectables qualification with our Cosmetic Dermatology Course.

Regardless of how you access it, our polynucleotides course involves two hours of pre-course eLearning followed by four hours of in-clinic hands-on training in our London or Manchester aesthetics training academy. 

You’ll gain six hours of CPD-accredited learning in total, documented in your course certificate which is awarded upon successful completion of the practical day. Plus you’ll receive a goody bag including a free polynucleotides product to get you started!

What you'll learn on our Polynucleotides Training Course:

• The science of polynucleotides and mechanism of action
• Patient assessment, selection, and indications
• Bespoke treatment planning
• Injection techniques, including needle and cannula methods
• Regional anatomy and ageing considerations
• Managing side effects and patient aftercare.

Taking the Next Step

Polynucleotides and Profhilo are in high demand year-round, with summer being a particularly active period for skin-focused treatments.

Harley Academy's polynucleotides course and Profhilo training sit within a broader medical aesthetics training pathway. So, whether you're starting from scratch or adding to an existing skill set, we have a route in to help you build a well-rounded aesthetics practice.

As with all our aesthetics courses, these are only open to specific healthcare professionals. This includes doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and clinical pharmacists. You can see the full list via our Eligibility Checker.

Alternatively, book a call with our Courses team for personalised advice on adding these skills to your injectables repertoire. Simply select the date and time that works best for you and they'll give you a call.

All information correct at time of publication