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There s a new category of injectables now available at your dermatologists office: skin boosters. Skinvive—also referred to as an “injectable moisturizer”—is the very first-of-its-kind to come to the United States after being approved by the Food and Drug Administration this May. As an intrepid journalist, I went under the needle over 20 times to see the results of the new skin service for myself.
Some history: Before Skinvive, there was Profhilo, a similar injectable that has been available in European dermatologist offices since 2016. “My clients were always asking about Profhilo because they heard the glow was so incredible," says double-board certified plastic surgeon David Shafer, MD, FACS. Both Profhilo and Skinvive include injectable hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a gold-star ingredient in skincare when it comes to adding moisture to the skin. “Profhilo is uncrosslinked HA injected superficially into the skin, which means the moisturizing effect only lasts a month before your body metabolizes it. The major breakthrough with Skinvive is that it is made with crosslinked HA, so it s much heartier and the hydration lasts for six months.”
If you re concerned about other injectables made of hyaluronic acid (namely fillers) and wonder if Skinvive will give the super-plump over-filled look—it s not possible. “If I squirted Skinvive into the air, you would see it has the consistency of water dripping out of the needle,” Shafer says. “Whereas a filler like Voluma is formulated in a gel because it s meant to give structure to the face. Both have hyaluronic acid, but the consistency is totally different.”
So, will Skinvive help with wrinkles or volume loss? Yes and no. Unlike neurotoxins like Botox, Skinvive is not meant to smooth muscles; instead, it plumps skin (fine lines included) for a more even texture. “You re going to notice it when you re putting on makeup,” Shafer says. “It s not just that skin is smoother, but also makeup won t be settling in the creases anymore because those are no longer there.” Currently, Skinvive is only FDA-approved to be used on the cheeks, but Shafer adds he s using it off-label in the neck, décolleté, and—most surprisingly—to treat super-dry elbows.
After hearing all of this, I was ready to go under the needle(s). I chose to forgo numbing when it came to my treatment—and I also got Botox injected into my crows feet and masseter muscle (an off-label treatment for jaw clenching) during the same 20-minute appointment.
First, Shafer brought out the syringe filled with Skinvive and a gold sculpting bar. At each of the injection points across the apples of my cheeks, he first placed the vibrating bar on my skin as a “distraction method” for my mind according to Shafer—and I barely felt the pricks it and took less than five minutes. Immediately after, my face was covered in small bite-like marks, as though my face had been viciously attacked by a mosquito. A few hours later, by the time I was ready for bed, the swelling had gone down; when I woke the next morning, there was only one barely-there bruise remaining (something I say is a hallmark of Shafer s work—he has a very light touch). Overall, I d give it a pain level of a three.
For a few days, I only felt a small twinge in my skin when I washed my face or massaged in my favorite face oil—nothing that felt concerning, I assume just left over soreness from the injection points.
“It ll take about a month to see the full effects from the treatment,” Shafer tells me, adding that this is a good first-timer treatment to address skin texture and it s also safe for all skin tones and types. “Those with darker skin tones aren t candidates for lasers or energy-based treatments that effect skin texture, but they can do this and it helps with texture and quality of skin."
It s now been a week since I tried Skinvive, and overall I m definitely happy with the results. I d never skip moisturizing, treatment or not—but people around the office have been telling me that I m glowing. Can t wait to see how much glowier I could get in the weeks to come.
