Dermal filler vs Profhilo vs polynucleotides — what each is actually doing

Patients confuse dermal filler, Profhilo and polynucleotides regularly. They sound related — they're all injectable, they all involve something hyaluronic-acid-adjacent, they all happen at clinics. The clinical truth is that they do completely different things. Choosing the right one depends entirely on what your face is actually telling you.

Here is the honest comparison.

Dermal filler — what it does

Dermal filler is, in almost all current cases, hyaluronic acid (HA) — the same molecule your body produces naturally. The HA in filler is cross-linked, which gives it structure and longevity. We inject it into specific anatomical zones to add visible volume to a precise location. It's reversible — there's an antidote — and the result lasts six to eighteen months depending on the product and the area.

What filler is good at: restoring or augmenting volume. Cheek volume that's flattened. Jawline definition that's softened. Lip volume that's diminished. Tear trough hollows in the right anatomy. Chin projection in the right candidate.

What filler is not good at: improving skin quality. Reducing fine lines that aren't volume-related. Addressing dullness. Restoring skin function. Filler adds shape; it doesn't restore behaviour.

More on filler →

Profhilo — what it does

Profhilo is also hyaluronic acid, but the formulation and the technique are entirely different. Profhilo isn't cross-linked — it's a hybrid of high and low molecular weight HA stabilised in a way that allows it to spread underneath the skin rather than sit in a defined location. We deliver it through a standardised five-point technique on each side of the face, and it disperses evenly into the dermal layer.

The mechanism isn't about adding volume — it's about stimulating fibroblasts to produce more collagen and elastin. The skin behaves more like a younger version of itself.

What Profhilo is good at: restoring skin quality. Hydration that's been lost. Surface luminosity. Subtle firmness. The "well-rested" effect.

What Profhilo is not good at: changing facial shape. Restoring lost cheek volume. Defining a jawline. Addressing structural concerns.

More on Profhilo →

Polynucleotides — what they do

Polynucleotides are fragments of purified DNA, typically extracted from a salmon source, that signal fibroblasts to behave more like younger cells. The mechanism is regenerative rather than augmentative. The molecules don't add anything visible to the face directly — they prompt the skin to behave differently.

Polynucleotides spread through the tissue similarly to Profhilo, but the biological signal is different. Profhilo prompts collagen and elastin production. Polynucleotides go a bit further, supporting overall fibroblast function and offering particular benefits in delicate areas — under-eye, perioral fine lines, post-procedure recovery, and patients with thinned, atrophic skin.

What polynucleotides are good at: restoring delicate skin. Improving the under-eye area. Softening fine lines around the mouth. Supporting recovery from prior procedures. Working in skin too thin for filler.

What polynucleotides are not good at: restoring volume. Filling defined hollows. Adding structural support.

More on polynucleotides →

How patients confuse them

The most common confusion is between filler and Profhilo. A patient comes in asking for "cheek filler" because that's the language she's learned, when what her cheek actually needs is improved skin quality rather than added volume. The skin under her eyes looks tired not because of hollowing but because of thinning. The fine lines around her mouth are static lines that won't respond to filler at all. The right answer in that conversation isn't filler — it's Profhilo, possibly polynucleotides for the periorbital area, possibly a combined plan over several sessions.

The reverse confusion also happens. A patient comes in asking for Profhilo because she's read it's the natural-looking option, when what her face actually needs is structural restoration to the cheek and jawline that Profhilo cannot provide. She'll get a softening and brightening from Profhilo, but the structural change she's hoping for won't appear.

The third confusion is between Profhilo and polynucleotides. They overlap meaningfully — both regenerate skin behaviour — but they have different sweet spots. Profhilo is the better tool for whole-face hydration and quality. Polynucleotides are the better tool for delicate areas and post-procedure work. For some patients, both are part of the right plan.

How to think about which is yours

The clearest mental model: look at the face and ask three questions in order.

1. Is the issue structural? (volume that's lost, hollows that have appeared, definition that's softened) — if yes, the conversation is about filler, possibly biostimulators (HarmonyCA, Neauvia). 2. Is the issue surface quality? (hydration, glow, fine lines, overall tiredness) — if yes, the conversation is about Profhilo, possibly chemical peels and homecare. 3. Is the issue delicate-area quality? (under-eye, perioral lines, thinned skin) — if yes, the conversation is about polynucleotides specifically.

Most patients have a combination, which is why the right plan is usually a sequenced combination rather than a single treatment.

Where they fit in the REGEN Method

All three sit in the Generate pillar, but they answer different needs. Filler restores structure. Profhilo restores quality. Polynucleotides restore delicate-area function. None of them substitute for Elevate (homecare) — which compounds the effect of all three — and none of them substitute for the proper assessment in Reveal that determines which combination is yours.

The honest closing

If you're not sure whether you need filler, Profhilo, polynucleotides, or some combination, you're in good company. Most patients have to be guided through the distinction in a consultation. The clinics that treat all three as interchangeable produce mediocre results in patients who could have had excellent ones with the right choice.

That's what the Reveal Consultation is for. We assess the face, identify what each layer actually needs, and recommend a sequence that fits.

— Dr Chris, Founder and Medical Director, REGEN Clinic

Want the full clinical detail on each? See the treatment pages for Dermal Fillers, Profhilo and Polynucleotides.