Are you needle-averse? I’m not, particularly, but even so, having had a Vampire Facial in recent times, I can definitely see how one could come to hate them: the procedure involves multiple injections of your own plasma into your face, delivered at a rapid-fire pace. It’s deeply unpleasant. Effective, yes (just ask Kim Kardashian) – but unpleasant.
Profhilo is a relatively new, award-winning innovation from Italian aesthetic experts IBSA. From the outset, you know that you’re only going to be subjected to 20 injections over the course of 2 treatments: five on one side of the face, five on the other, bam, done. Wait 4 weeks and do it again. It already sounds manageable.
And that’s even before you arrive at the clinic. Despite its name, The Private Clinic of Harley Street has practices all over the country, but it’s to the central London one that I’m headed: grand door, black and white tiles and a sweeping staircase in the foyer. I’m greeted warmly, offered refreshments and left to admire the gorgeous floral displays from the comfort of a sofa.
My clinician is also incredibly reassuring – not just because she looks wonderful but also because her manner is an ideal blend of efficiency, knowledgeability and friendliness. She’s also just the right side of complimentary – and let’s be honest, if you care enough about your appearance to visit an aesthetic clinician, you’re going to enjoy having nice things said to you, right?
The treatment is aimed primarily at those with ageing skin but can have a preventative effect on younger clients: after the age of 30, levels of collagen, elastin and Hyaluronic Acid start to decrease, contributing to loss of firmness and lines.
The ‘hi’ and ‘lo’ of the treatment name refer to the molecular weights Hyaluronic Acid (HA) used in the injections: yes, it gets a little technical here, but you want to know what’s going into your skin, don’t you? The injections are administered into the superficial subcutaneous level of skin (so the sensation is neither deep nor plunging): the low molecular weight of the HA has a hydrating and stimulating effect, while the high weight HA has a supportive, scaffold-like effect, counteracting skin laxity and remodelling the face.Think of it as a Wonderbra for your skin.
The treatment follows a strict protocol, with the complex delivered into five specific points on either side of the face: you can’t ask the clinician to target specific areas of concern the way you can with a Vampire Facial but, due to its high spreadability, it diffuses rapidly and goes everywhere you’d want it to go anyway. Odd bumps – like large mosquito bites – come up almost instantly at the points of entry, but go down within a few hours; the downtime is virtually nothing. As for the treatment itself, it takes under 20 minutes – definitely one you could have in your lunch hour.
You need to wait at least four weeks before going back for Round Two, where exactly the same procedure is followed. In the interim, four different types of collagen and elastin will have been produced in your skin; the results are unmistakable even then, which just makes me even more gleefully excited to see how my skin will look a few weeks after the second treatment.
I’m not disappointed: fresher, firmer, more hydrated and generally more youthful pretty much sums it up – and a pleasant flurry of compliments and comments tend to confirm that I’m not just imagining it. Results last for around 6 months, although this depends on the individual.
Profhilo at The Private Clinic is priced at £750 (£375 per syringe, one syringe used per treatment).
W: theprivateclinic.co.uk
T: 0330 311 6218
