isit works within the skin, softens that crepey texture, and can lift the dull grey or bluish tone that makes tired eyes worse than they are. ### Why it works well under the eyes The under-eye skin needs a treatment that improves its quality without adding heaviness or risking puffiness, and that is exactly what polynucleotides are designed to do. Instead of filling a hollow, they gradually rebuild and strengthen the skin itself, so it becomes a little thicker, smoother and more resilient. As the skin quality improves, the greyness tends to lift and the area looks fresher and more awake. Dr Yasmin uses it mainly for the under-eye region, and where appropriate she can treat a little higher too. ### What to expect from a course Polynucleotides work in a series. Most people need two sessions, sometimes three, spaced about two weeks apart, because the effect is cumulative and builds with each treatment as the skin's repair response is stimulated repeatedly. The injections themselves are small and quick. You might see a little swelling or a few tiny bumps immediately afterwards, and occasionally some minor bruising given how delicate the area is, but this generally settles within a day or two. Results continue to develop over the following weeks as new collagen forms, and many patients choose a maintenance session further down the line to keep the improvement. ## Profhilo or polynucleotides: which is right for you? The simplest way to think about it is by area and by need. If your concern is your whole face looking dry, flat and in need of a glow, Profhilo is usually the better starting point because it treats the face broadly and delivers that all-over hydration and subtle lift. It is Dr Yasmin's favourite for exactly this reason. If, on the other hand, you are largely happy with your face but the under-eye area is letting you down, thin, crepey, with that tell-tale grey tone, polynucleotides are the more targeted choice. They are formulated to rebuild quality in precisely this kind of delicate skin. Plenty of patients end up combining the two, using Profhilo to refresh the face overall and polynucleotides to focus on the eyes. The two treatments complement one another rather than competing. During a consultation your practitioner will look at your skin, ask what bothers you most, and put together a schedule that makes sense for your concerns and your calendar. As Dr Yasmin puts it, there is always something we can do, and the best plan is the one built around you. ## Getting the most from your treatment Injectable treatments do a great deal, but they work best alongside sensible everyday care, especially in winter. Keeping the skin barrier strong helps your results last and stops the dehydration creeping back. A few habits make a real difference. Swap harsh, stripping cleansers for something gentle, and follow with a moisturiser that contains humectants like hyaluronic acid to draw water in and richer ingredients to seal it there. Keep wearing a broad-spectrum SPF every day, because UV still reaches your skin in winter and remains the biggest driver of ageing and dullness. Try to avoid very hot, long showers, stay hydrated from the inside, and consider a humidifier if your home is warm and dry. A medical-grade skincare routine tailored to your skin, which the team can advise on, gives these treatments the best possible foundation to work from. ## Common questions about winter skin treatments ### Are Profhilo and polynucleotides painful? Both are very manageable. Profhilo uses only a small number of injection points and the product itself is smooth, so most people describe it as a quick pinch rather than anything uncomfortable. Polynucleotide injections around the eye are tiny, and while the area is delicate, treatment is brief. A numbing cream can be applied beforehand if you would prefer, and your practitioner will always talk you through it. ### How soon will I see results? With Profhilo you often notice a hydrated, dewy quality within the first week or two, while the firming, collagen-boosting effects build over the weeks after your second session. Polynucleotides work more gradually because they rely on stimulating your own repair processes, so the improvement in skin quality and tone develops steadily over the course and continues after your final session. ### Is there any downtime? Very little with either treatment. You may have some small bumps, redness or minor swelling at the injection sites straight afterwards, and occasionally a little bruising with the under-eye work. Most of this settles within hours to a couple of days, and the vast majority of people carry on with their day as normal. It is sensible to avoid heavy exercise, saunas and makeup over fresh injection points for the rest of the day. ### How long do the results last? This varies from person to person, but the effects of a full course of either treatment typically last several months. Many patients maintain their results with a top-up session roughly every six months for Profhilo, and a maintenance treatment for polynucleotides as advised. Your practitioner will recommend a realistic schedule at your consultation. ### Can I have these treatments if I already have filler or anti-wrinkle injections? In most cases, yes. Both Profhilo and polynucleotides are about skin quality and hydration rather than volume or muscle movement, so they generally work well alongside other treatments as part of a broader plan. Your doctor will review everything you have had done and time your appointments sensibly. ## Come and see us for a glow that lasts through winter Dry, crepey winter skin is common, but you do not have to put up with it until spring. Some people notice it as all-over dullness that Profhilo can quench, while for others it is tired, thinning under-eyes that polynucleotides are made for. Either way, there is a considered, doctor-led option to bring back your glow in time for the season ahead. Wellface is a doctor-led aesthetics clinic with branches in Cobham, Esher and Wimbledon, and Dr Yasmin Tayeb and the team would be glad to take a proper look at your skin and talk you through what would suit you best. Book a consultation at whichever branch is most convenient, and let us build a plan to get you glowing and comfortable again this winter.

Dry Winter Skin: How Profhilo and Polynucleotides Bring Back Your Glow

Every year, as soon as the temperature drops and the central heating goes on, the same complaint starts appearing at the clinic. Skin feels tight. It looks dull. Fine lines seem more obvious, and there is a crepey, papery quality around the eyes that was not there in the summer. If that sounds like you, I want you to know something reassuring first: this is completely normal, and it is not just you.

Winter is genuinely hard on skin. Cold air outside holds less moisture, warm dry air indoors pulls water out of the skin, and the barrier that usually keeps everything plump and comfortable starts to struggle. The result is that dehydrated, lacklustre look so many people notice in December and January. The good news is that there is plenty we can do about it, and two treatments in particular do a lot of the heavy lifting at Wellface.

This post looks at Profhilo and polynucleotides, two injectable skin treatments that work in different ways to rehydrate, thicken and refresh the skin. One is a firm favourite of mine for the whole face. The other is a newer addition to the clinic, chosen carefully and reserved mainly for the delicate under-eye area. Here is how each one works, who it suits, and how to decide which is right for you.

Why winter leaves skin dry, dull and crepey

Skin relies on water to stay smooth and supple. Deep in the dermis, hyaluronic acid holds moisture and gives skin its bounce, while a healthy barrier at the surface stops that water evaporating away. In winter both of these come under pressure at once.

Outdoor humidity falls, so there is less moisture in the air for skin to draw on. Indoor heating dries things further, and hot showers, wind and cold all chip away at the protective lipid barrier. When that barrier is compromised, water escapes more quickly than it can be replaced. Skin then looks flat rather than radiant, feels rough, and shows fine lines more readily because dehydrated skin does not reflect light in the same soft way that well-hydrated skin does.

The under-eye area is often the first place people notice it. The skin here is some of the thinnest on the body, with very little supporting fat or oil. As it loses moisture and volume it can take on a crepey texture and a bluish or greyish tone, partly because the vessels underneath show through more when skin thins. Rich creams help at the surface, but they cannot always reach the deeper problem. That is where treatments that work within the skin come in.

Profhilo: hydration and a lift for the whole face

Profhilo is what is often called a bio-remodelling treatment, and it is one of my go-to options for tired winter skin. It is made from a high concentration of pure hyaluronic acid, the same moisture-binding molecule your skin produces naturally, but presented in a specially stabilised form that behaves quite differently to a traditional filler.

Rather than adding volume or reshaping a feature, Profhilo spreads through the skin and does two jobs at once. It draws in and holds water, which is what gives that immediate quenched, dewy quality. It also stimulates the skin to produce more of its own collagen and elastin over the following weeks, which gradually improves firmness and quality. So you get hydration in the short term and a subtle tightening and lift over the longer term.

What a Profhilo session involves

The treatment is quick and precise. Rather than being spread across dozens of injection points, Profhilo is delivered into a small number of carefully mapped positions on each side of the face. From these points the product disperses evenly through the tissue. The whole appointment usually takes around twenty to thirty minutes, and because so few injections are used, most people find it very tolerable.

A standard course is two sessions spaced about four weeks apart, and the effects typically build over the weeks that follow the second treatment. Many patients then choose to top up every six months or so to maintain the glow, though I will suggest a schedule based on your skin. Afterwards you may notice small raised bumps at the injection points, but these settle within hours as the product spreads. Downtime is minimal, and most people are back to their day straight away with nothing more than a bit of redness.

Who Profhilo suits

Profhilo is a good choice if your whole face feels dry, dull or lacking in bounce rather than just one specific area. It works beautifully on the face, and it can also be used on the neck, chest and hands, all places that show dehydration and crepiness in winter. Because it is not a volumising filler, it is a gentle, natural-looking option for people who want their skin to look healthier rather than changed. It sits happily alongside anti-wrinkle injections and other treatments as part of a wider plan.

Polynucleotides: targeted repair for the under-eye area

The second option is newer to the clinic, and I have been characteristically careful about introducing it. Polynucleotides have actually been used in medicine for a long time, but I prefer to be sure a treatment meets my standards before offering it to patients. Now that it has earned its place, it has become a really valuable tool for one of the trickiest areas to treat: the under eyes.

Polynucleotides are purified fragments of DNA, most often derived from salmon or trout, that are remarkably compatible with human skin. When injected, they act as a signal to the skin's own repair machinery. They wake up the fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin, and they help the skin hold onto moisture. Over a course of treatment this improves the thickness and quality of the skin, softens that crepey texture, and can lift the dull grey or bluish tone that makes tired eyes look worse than they are.

Why it works well under the eyes

The under-eye skin needs a treatment that improves its quality without adding heaviness or risking puffiness, and that is exactly what polynucleotides are designed to do. Instead of filling a hollow, they gradually rebuild and strengthen the skin itself, so it becomes a little thicker, smoother and more resilient. As the skin quality improves, the greyness tends to lift and the area looks fresher and more awake. I use it mainly for the under-eye region, and where appropriate I can treat a little higher too.

What to expect from a course

Polynucleotides work in a series. Most people need two sessions, sometimes three, spaced about two weeks apart, because the effect is cumulative and builds with each treatment as the skin's repair response is stimulated repeatedly. The injections themselves are small and quick. You might see a little swelling or a few tiny bumps immediately afterwards, and occasionally some minor bruising given how delicate the area is, but this generally settles within a day or two. Results continue to develop over the following weeks as new collagen forms, and many patients choose a maintenance session further down the line to keep the improvement.

Profhilo or polynucleotides: which is right for you?

The simplest way to think about it is by area and by need. If your concern is your whole face looking dry, flat and in need of a glow, Profhilo is usually the better starting point because it treats the face broadly and delivers that all-over hydration and subtle lift. It is my favourite for exactly this reason.

If, on the other hand, you are largely happy with your face but the under-eye area is letting you down, thin, crepey, with that tell-tale grey tone, polynucleotides are the more targeted choice. They are formulated to rebuild quality in precisely this kind of delicate skin.

Plenty of patients end up combining the two, using Profhilo to refresh the face overall and polynucleotides to focus on the eyes. The two treatments complement one another rather than competing. During a consultation I will look at your skin, ask what bothers you most, and put together a schedule that makes sense for your concerns and your calendar. As I always say, there is always something we can do, and the best plan is the one built around you.

Getting the most from your treatment

Injectable treatments do a great deal, but they work best alongside sensible everyday care, especially in winter. Keeping the skin barrier strong helps your results last and stops the dehydration creeping back.

A few habits make a real difference. Swap harsh, stripping cleansers for something gentle, and follow with a moisturiser that contains humectants like hyaluronic acid to draw water in and richer ingredients to seal it there. Keep wearing a broad-spectrum SPF every day, because UV still reaches your skin in winter and remains the biggest driver of ageing and dullness. Try to avoid very hot, long showers, stay hydrated from the inside, and consider a humidifier if your home is warm and dry. A medical-grade skincare routine tailored to your skin, which our team can advise on, gives these treatments the best possible foundation to work from.

Common questions about winter skin treatments

Are Profhilo and polynucleotides painful?

Both are very manageable. Profhilo uses only a small number of injection points and the product itself is smooth, so most people describe it as a quick pinch rather than anything uncomfortable. Polynucleotide injections around the eye are tiny, and while the area is delicate, treatment is brief. A numbing cream can be applied beforehand if you would prefer, and I will always talk you through it.

How soon will I see results?

With Profhilo you often notice a hydrated, dewy quality within the first week or two, while the firming, collagen-boosting effects build over the weeks after your second session. Polynucleotides work more gradually because they rely on stimulating your own repair processes, so the improvement in skin quality and tone develops steadily over the course and continues after your final session.

Is there any downtime?

Very little with either treatment. You may have some small bumps, redness or minor swelling at the injection sites straight afterwards, and occasionally a little bruising with the under-eye work. Most of this settles within hours to a couple of days, and the vast majority of people carry on with their day as normal. It is sensible to avoid heavy exercise, saunas and makeup over fresh injection points for the rest of the day.

How long do the results last?

This varies from person to person, but the effects of a full course of either treatment typically last several months. Many patients maintain their results with a top-up session roughly every six months for Profhilo, and a maintenance treatment for polynucleotides as advised. I will recommend a realistic schedule at your consultation.

Can I have these treatments if I already have filler or anti-wrinkle injections?

In most cases, yes. Both Profhilo and polynucleotides are about skin quality and hydration rather than volume or muscle movement, so they generally work well alongside other treatments as part of a broader plan. I will review everything you have had done and time your appointments sensibly.

Come and see me for a glow that lasts through winter

Dry, crepey winter skin is common, but you do not have to put up with it until spring. Some people notice it as all-over dullness that Profhilo can quench, while for others it is tired, thinning under-eyes that polynucleotides are made for. Either way, there is a considered, doctor-led option to bring back your glow in time for the season ahead.

Wellface is a doctor-led aesthetics clinic with branches in Cobham, Esher and Wimbledon, and I would be glad to take a proper look at your skin and talk you through what would suit you best. Book a consultation with me at whichever branch is most convenient, and let us build a plan to get you glowing and comfortable again this winter.