Profhilo in Hanoi, performed by our doctor

What Profhilo is

Profhilo is made by IBSA Derma, part of the IBSA group. It is built on a process IBSA patented in 2015, called NAHYCO, which joins long and short chains of hyaluronic acid with heat alone and no chemical cross-linking agents.

IBSA states the aim of the line as 'to counteract skin laxity and remodel the face and body'. Its own safety review describes the product as low in viscosity, so it spreads through the tissue instead of staying in one spot.

Profhilo works across an area, so it is a poor fit for one deep line or hollow. Say which one bothers you at the consultation and the doctor will tell you which route fits.

Profhilo or Profhilo Structura?

Profhilo is the standard version. Profhilo Structura has a higher concentration of hyaluronic acid, and IBSA developed it for injection into the fat compartments of the face. The published work on it centres on the cheeks.

In a 2024 pilot study, 50 people had Structura injected into the outer cheek in two sessions a month apart. Scores for facial volume loss and wrinkles improved after the first session and held at the three-month check (Health Science Reports, 2024). It is one small study and its authors include IBSA staff, so read it as a data point, not a promise for your face.

Which version suits you is the doctor's call after seeing where your face has loosened. If you cannot tell, ask at the free consultation.

How many sessions?

The usual plan is two sessions about four weeks apart. The doctor confirms the number after looking at your skin, and you know the total before the first session. The Structura study above used the same pattern.

IBSA's own safety reviews (2020 and 2025) give the recommended course as two injections about 30 days apart, with maintenance sessions if needed, and suggest adapting it to how far the skin has aged. The doctor's plan for your skin is the one to follow.

Who Profhilo suits

It suits skin that has started to lose firmness or hydration, a little slack or dull, but has not dropped far. If the main problem is sagging along the jaw and neck, ask about HIFU instead.

• Cheeks and lower face that look tired or slightly slack, with no single deep fold to fix
• People who want a subtle change, not a visibly fuller face
• Guests staying in Hanoi for at least a month, so both sessions fit

When it is better to wait

Tell us first. The doctor may ask you to wait, or to check with your prescriber first, if any of these apply:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• The skin in the area is infected, blistered, broken or sunburnt, or inflamed acne is spreading and painful there.
• You have had a peel, laser or microneedling in the last two weeks.
• You take oral acne medication, or stopped it less than six months ago. Check with your prescriber first.
• You have had an allergic reaction to an injectable product before. Tell us before the consultation.

After the session

Expect a light stinging feeling during the injection and some redness afterwards. Our usual advice is to skip make-up for three days, avoid saunas and strong sun for the first 24 hours, wear sunscreen from then on, and pause AHA, BHA and retinol for the first week. You get written aftercare for your session.

The side effects reported in the research are mild and local: bruising, swelling, a light pinching feeling, a small bump or a localised bruise (haematoma), usually gone within about 72 hours in a 2026 systematic review of nine studies (278 people). IBSA's own review of reports sent to the company, covering 2018 to 2023, found swelling, redness and discomfort the most common. Both papers were written with IBSA staff. Message us if anything has not settled after a few days.

If you are in Hanoi for a short stay, book early in your trip so the second session still fits.