The short version
Profhilo is a hyaluronic acid bio-remodeller. It treats skin quality: hydration, surface laxity, fine lines, and overall dermal health. It does not add volume.
Sculptra is a poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) collagen biostimulator. It treats structural volume loss: hollow temples, flat cheeks, hollow jawline. It restores volume gradually through your own newly-produced collagen.
Different problems, different solutions. They aren't alternatives — they're complementary.
The biology behind each
Profhilo — the bio-remodeller
The active ingredient is a stabilised, BDDE-free hyaluronic acid that combines two molecular weights of HA in a single formulation. Once injected at specific Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP), the HA disperses through the dermis over hours and days. The bio-remodelling effect comes from the HA stimulating fibroblasts and supporting collagen + elastin synthesis at the dermal level.
The result: more hydrated, more supple, more elastic skin over weeks. No "filler look" because there's no localised volume added.
Sculptra — the collagen biostimulator
The active ingredient is poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) microparticles suspended in a sterile diluent. After subcutaneous or deep dermal injection, the microparticles trigger a mild localised inflammatory response. The body responds by depositing new collagen around the particles.
Over 3 to 6 months, the PLLA microparticles gradually break down (they're absorbable) and are replaced by your own collagen. The result: structural volume restoration that looks natural because it's literally your own tissue.
Side-by-side comparison
How our doctors choose
Indication 1: Skin quality concerns (hydration, crepiness, fine lines)
Profhilo. Particularly effective for the neck, hands, and lower face where loss of dermal hydration is the dominant problem. Younger patients (late 20s, 30s) often benefit from Profhilo as a maintenance treatment.
Indication 2: Structural volume loss
Sculptra. Patients in their 40s and 50s with hollow temples, flat midface, or pre-jowl hollow respond best to gradual collagen-stimulator volume restoration. Sculptra produces results that look like your own better-rested self, rather than the slightly puffy "filled" look that can come from over-zealous HA filler.
Indication 3: Combined skin quality and volume loss
Both, sequenced. Common protocol: Sculptra first to address structure (2 sessions), then Profhilo to address skin quality (2 sessions), then maintenance every 6 to 12 months alternating between the two.
Indication 4: Body areas (decolletage, hands, buttocks)
Profhilo for hands and decolletage (where the primary problem is dehydrated, thin skin). Sculptra for body volume indications (non-surgical buttock contouring is an established Sculptra indication outside aesthetic facial use).
What about HA fillers?
Traditional HA fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, etc.) are a third category — they add volume immediately through the filler material itself, not through stimulating your own collagen. They're a fast, reversible, and predictable option for specific facial areas (lips, chin, cheek apex, undereye).
The honest comparison:
- HA filler — instant volume, lasts 12 to 18 months, reversible with hyaluronidase
- Sculptra — gradual volume from your own collagen, lasts 18 to 24+ months, not reversible
- Profhilo — no volume; skin quality only, lasts ~6 months
Different tools for different jobs.
Honest limitations
Neither treatment replaces a facelift for advanced laxity. If you have significant jowl droop, deep nasolabial folds, and substantial loose neck skin, you may benefit more from surgical evaluation. Our doctors will say so during your consultation if that's the case.
Sculptra results are gradual — if you want instant volume for a wedding next month, you need filler, not Sculptra. The 3-to-6-month onset is a feature for long-term natural-looking restoration, not a bug.
What to do next
The right choice depends on what your skin actually needs — structural volume restoration, skin quality improvement, or both. A proper facial assessment will reveal which mechanism (or combination) fits your specific ageing pattern.