Aesthetic-oriented medical procedures rely on a range of carefully selected injectable products, whose role is to act directly on the dermis and subcutaneous tissue to meet well-defined objectives : filling wrinkles, restoring volume, improving skin quality, or preventing skin aging.
These substances are neither interchangeable nor generic : each has distinct biochemical properties, indications, injection protocols, and durations of action, requiring the doctor to have an in-depth knowledge of their behavior in vivo.
This article offers a comprehensive and rigorous overview of the main categories of products used for aesthetic injections, as well as their specificities.
Hyaluronic acid is the most widely used product for aesthetic injections. Naturally present in our body, particularly in the dermis, cartilage, and synovial fluid, it plays a fundamental role in hydration, elasticity, and tissue regeneration.
The hyaluronic acid gels used in aesthetics are synthetic, sterile, resorbable, viscoelastic products available in several viscosities depending on the indication : filling superficial wrinkles, restoring deep volumes, skin hydration, etc.
Hyaluronic acid is indicated for :
Depending on the gel’s density, its cross-linking (level of cohesion), and the depth of injection, the effects can last between 10 and 15 months, sometimes longer.
La botulinum toxin is a purified protein-based medication whose function is to temporarily block nerve transmission between the motor nerve and the muscle, thus preventing the latter from contracting. Used in very small doses, it is perfectly safe for aesthetic injections.
It is mainly indicated for treating expression lines in the upper third of the face, meaning forehead lines (frontalis muscle), frown lines (corrugator and procerus muscles), and crow’s feet (orbicularis oculi).
Its effects appear between 3 to 7 days after injection, with optimal effect at 15 days, and an average duration of action of 4 to 6 months. Unlike hyaluronic acid, botulinum toxin does not have a volumizing effect, but works by preventing the formation of skin wrinkles related to repeated muscular movements.
Its use requires perfect knowledge of the muscular anatomy of the face, as poorly performed injections may cause asymmetry, brow ptosis, eyelid ptosis, and many other complications.
Botulinum toxin is also used in the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis.
Unlike classic fillers, collagen stimulators (also called biostimulators) do not aim to fill immediately, but instead to restart the endogenous production of collagen, thereby improving skin density and firmness over the long term.
The main products in this category are calcium hydroxyapatite, poly-L-lactic acid, and polycaprolactone.
These substances are injected deeply (subcutaneous or even pre-periosteal) and often require several spaced-out sessions, with results that develop progressively over 2 to 3 months and last up to 2 years.
They are particularly used for moderate lower-face laxity, neck tightening, and subtle volume restoration in patients who do not wish for immediate filling.
Les Skinboosters represent another way of using hyaluronic acid, lightly cross-linked and sometimes combined with vitamins, amino acids, or antioxidants. Injected in small doses into the mid or superficial dermis, they hydrate the skin from within and improve its quality, radiance, and firmness.
These treatments do not act on facial volume. They are particularly suitable for dehydrated or mature skin and can be injected into the face, neck, décolleté, or the backs of the hands. They also represent an interesting preventive approach against skin aging, starting from the age of 30 to 35.
Le PRP is a completely natural product, prepared from the patient’s own blood and centrifuged to extract concentrated platelets rich in growth factors. These act as stimulators of cell regeneration, microcirculation, and collagen synthesis.
PRP is used in aesthetics for global skin rejuvenation, the treatment of vascular dark circles, improvement of skin quality, and even for hair stimulation in cases of alopecia.
It does not replace fillers, but is an interesting complement to improve tissue quality.
All products injected for aesthetic purposes must obligatorily be :
The physician is responsible for choosing products from recognized laboratories, avoiding uncertified generics, and strictly adhering to storage, preparation, and administration conditions.
There is no « best product », but rather a product suited to each indication, each morphology, each need, and each skin type. This is why a prior medical consultation is essential : it allows the physician to make a precise aesthetic diagnosis, analyze volumes, skin quality, dynamic imbalances, and choose the most appropriate product in a minimal yet sufficient quantity.
It is common, in a comprehensive approach, to combine different types of injections within the same treatment plan (for example : botulinum toxin for the forehead, hyaluronic acid for the folds, and Skinbooster for the neck). This combined strategy allows for a more natural, gradual, and lasting result.
In the history of medical procedures for aesthetic purposes, certain so-called « permanent » products were long used, notably those based on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or injectable silicone. These non-resorbable substances promised long-lasting, even permanent correction. However, their use led to severe and unpredictable complications, often several years after injection : inflammatory granulomas, product migration, nodules, chronic infections.
In Switzerland, as in most Western countries, these products are now prohibited, and their use is considered contrary to good medical practice. Any injection of a non-resorbable substance in an aesthetic context represents a high risk.
That is why today the only authorized products are resorbable, biocompatible, and biodegradable, products for which safety has been widely demonstrated.
When talking about injectable products, it is not enough to know their generic name (hyaluronic acid, botulinum toxin, etc.). One must also consider their physicochemical characteristics, as these directly affect the aesthetic result, duration of action, and risk of complications.
For hyaluronic acids :
For botulinum toxin :
In certain protocols, injections combine different active ingredients that do not aim to alter volumes, but to provide the skin with genuine nourishment, protection, and deep revitalization. This type of treatment is called aesthetic mesotherapy or biorevitalization. The injected substances may include :
These products are generally administered through multiple small superficial injections, particularly on the face, neck, décolleté, and hands. They do not affect volumes, but improve skin radiance and quality, as a complement to a comprehensive treatment plan.
Article written by Dr Romano Valeria
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