If you have already heard of Profhilo, you may have started seeing another name appear alongside it: Profhilo Structura.
And understandably, one of the first questions is:
What is the difference between Profhilo and Profhilo Structura?
Although they belong to the same Profhilo family, they are not simply two strengths of the same treatment.
Traditional Profhilo is primarily used to support skin quality, hydration, elasticity and laxity.
Profhilo Structura has been developed to work at a deeper structural level, with a particular focus on age related changes within the facial fat tissue. IBSA describes Structura as a treatment intended for the restoration of facial adipose tissue.
So while the names are similar, the reason we may recommend one treatment over the other can be quite different.
Let’s break it down.
What Is Profhilo?
Profhilo is an injectable hyaluronic acid treatment designed for tissue remodelling and improvement in skin laxity.
It contains hybrid cooperative complexes of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and is designed to spread through the tissue rather than behave like a traditional dermal filler. IBSA describes standard Profhilo as being intended for tissue remodelling and improvement in skin laxity across areas including the face, neck and body.
At SkinFirst, we tend to think of Profhilo as a treatment focused predominantly on skin quality.
Patients may consider it when they have started noticing concerns such as:
Skin feeling less hydrated
Loss of elasticity
Crepey or thinning skin
Mild skin laxity
Reduced firmness
Skin that simply does not feel as fresh or healthy as it once did
The aim is not to create obvious volume or change your facial features.
Instead, Profhilo is used to support the condition and quality of the skin itself.
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What Is Profhilo Structura?
Profhilo Structura takes the Profhilo concept into a different layer of the face.
It has been specifically developed for the treatment and restoration of facial adipose tissue, meaning the fat tissue that forms part of the deeper facial structure.
This is an important distinction.
Structura is not simply Profhilo with more product in it.
It has different rheological properties and a different intended treatment depth, allowing it to target age related changes within the deeper facial tissues. IBSA describes it as supporting the deeper structures of the face and helping to counteract age related changes within facial fat compartments.
In simple terms:
Profhilo focuses predominantly on the quality of the skin.
Profhilo Structura focuses more on the deeper structural changes that can occur beneath it.
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Why Do Facial Fat Compartments Matter?
When we think about facial ageing, most people immediately think about wrinkles.
But ageing happens across several different layers of the face.
As we get older, changes can occur within:
The skin
Collagen and elastin
Facial fat compartments
Ligaments
Muscle
Bone
The fat within the face is not one single continuous layer. It is organised into different compartments, and those compartments can change in volume and position as we age.
Some areas may lose volume or become thinner, while others can shift.
This can contribute to changes such as:
Flattening through the cheeks
Loss of facial support
A more tired appearance
Changes around the mid face
Increased shadowing
Skin appearing less supported
A sense that the face has started to look heavier or less defined
This is why simply treating the skin is not always enough.
Sometimes the skin itself is the main concern.
Sometimes the change is happening beneath the skin.
And sometimes both are happening at the same time.
Profhilo vs Profhilo Structura: Skin Quality vs Facial Structure
An easy way to understand the difference is to think about where the concern is coming from.
Profhilo
Profhilo may be considered when the primary concern is:
Hydration
Skin quality
Elasticity
Mild laxity
Crepey skin
Reduced firmness
General skin ageing
The aim is to improve the condition of the skin without creating traditional filler style volume.
Profhilo Structura
Profhilo Structura may be considered when the concern includes:
Age related changes within the mid face
Changes in facial fat tissue
Loss of support through the cheeks
Flattening or structural change
Facial ageing that appears to come from deeper tissue rather than skin alone
Structura is designed specifically to interact with facial adipose tissue and support deeper facial structures.
Neither treatment is automatically better.
They are designed to address different aspects of ageing.
Is Profhilo Structura Just a Stronger Profhilo?
No.
This is probably the biggest misconception to clear up.
Profhilo Structura contains a different concentration and has different physical properties, but describing it simply as a stronger version of Profhilo misses the most important difference.
It is designed for a different treatment layer and a different clinical purpose.
Standard Profhilo is used primarily within the skin for tissue remodelling and skin laxity.
Profhilo Structura is specifically indicated for treatment and restoration of facial fat tissue.
So the decision between them is not:
“Which one is stronger?”
It is:
“Where is the ageing change happening, and what are we actually trying to improve?”
Is Profhilo Structura a Dermal Filler?
Profhilo Structura can support deeper facial structures, but that does not mean it should simply be thought of as another traditional dermal filler.
Traditional fillers are commonly used to create, restore or enhance volume in specifically selected areas.
Profhilo Structura has been developed with a different approach, focusing on age related changes in the adipose tissue and what IBSA describes as a natural lipolifting effect.
For patients who do not necessarily want traditional filler, this distinction may be particularly interesting.
But again, it does not mean Structura is automatically the correct alternative.
The treatment still needs to match the underlying concern.
What Does Profhilo Structura Treat Around the Cheeks?
The cheek and mid face are areas where age related structural changes can become particularly noticeable.
As the deeper tissues change, patients may describe:
“My cheeks have started to look flatter.”
“My face seems to have dropped.”
“I look more tired even when I’m not.”
“I don’t necessarily want filler, but I feel like I have lost some support.”
Profhilo Structura is designed for treatment within specific areas of facial adipose tissue, including the preauricular and zygomatic regions.
However, what looks like a cheek concern to a patient may actually involve several different tissues.
That is why we would never recommend Profhilo Structura purely because somebody says they dislike their cheeks.
We need to assess why the face has changed first.
Can Profhilo Help Sagging Skin?
This is another question where the answer depends on what someone means by “sagging”.
If the concern is primarily mild skin laxity and reduced elasticity, standard Profhilo may be worth considering because it is designed to support tissue remodelling and skin laxity.
If the visible change is being influenced by deeper changes within facial fat tissue, Profhilo Structura may be more relevant.
And if laxity is more significant, neither treatment may be enough on its own.
Other SkinFirst treatments, such as HIFU, RF Microneedling or other injectable approaches, may need to be considered depending on the individual.
Who Might Be Suitable for Profhilo?
Standard Profhilo may be considered for patients who are primarily concerned about the quality and condition of their skin.
You might be noticing:
Increasing dryness
Reduced bounce
Mild laxity
Fine crepey texture
Skin that looks less fresh
Reduced firmness and elasticity
For these patients, the main conversation may be about improving the skin rather than restoring deeper structural change.
Who Might Be Suitable for Profhilo Structura?
Profhilo Structura may be considered where facial ageing appears to involve the deeper tissues of the mid face.
You may have noticed:
Loss of support around the cheeks
Flattening through the mid face
Changes in facial contour
A more tired or drawn appearance
Structural changes that are not simply about skin quality
However, these are not criteria for self diagnosis.
A patient may think they have lost facial fat when the visible change actually relates to skin laxity, bone structure, muscle activity or another factor.
That is exactly why consultation matters.
Can You Have Profhilo and Profhilo Structura Together?
Potentially, yes.
Because Profhilo and Profhilo Structura address different layers and aspects of facial ageing, there may be situations where they form part of the same wider treatment plan.
For example, somebody may have:
Reduced skin quality and deeper changes within the mid face.
In that situation, treating only one layer may not address the whole picture.
That does not necessarily mean both treatments should be performed at the same time or that everyone needs both.
A treatment plan should be based on:
What you are concerned about
Which tissues are contributing to the change
Your facial anatomy
Your medical history
Previous treatments
What you realistically want to achieve
Sometimes Profhilo alone will make sense.
Sometimes Profhilo Structura will make more sense.
Sometimes the two may complement each other.
And sometimes another treatment entirely will be more appropriate.
Profhilo vs Profhilo Structura: Which One Is Better?
There is no better option overall.
The treatments simply have different purposes.
If your main concern is skin quality, hydration and mild laxity, Profhilo may be the more appropriate conversation.
If your concern relates more to age related changes within the deeper facial tissues, Profhilo Structura may be worth exploring.
Choosing between them should not be based on what is newest or what you have seen somebody else having.
It should be based on what is happening within your own face.
Why Clinical Assessment Matters
This is perhaps the most important part of the whole conversation.
Facial ageing is not one process.
Different people lose volume, elasticity and support in different ways and at different rates.
Two patients of exactly the same age can therefore need completely different approaches.
At SkinFirst, Nurse Jenni will assess:
Your skin quality
Facial structure
Areas of volume change
Skin laxity
The balance of the face
Your medical history
Previous aesthetic treatment
What you would actually like to improve
From there, we can decide whether Profhilo, Profhilo Structura, another treatment or simply no treatment at all is the most appropriate option.
You do not need to diagnose yourself before booking.
Profhilo and Profhilo Structura at SkinFirst Warrington
Profhilo and Profhilo Structura give us two different ways to approach facial ageing.
Profhilo focuses predominantly on improving skin quality and supporting tissue remodelling.
Profhilo Structura allows us to consider the deeper structural changes associated with facial adipose tissue.
Neither is about making you look like somebody else.
The aim is to understand what has changed and choose an approach that supports your own natural features.
If you are considering Profhilo or Profhilo Structura in Warrington, start with a consultation at SkinFirst.
You do not need to know which treatment you need.
That is what the consultation is for.
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