Skin boosters at a glance
- Session15 min per area
- AnaesthesiaAnaesthetic cream
- Social downtimeNone
- Treatment2 sessions, 6 weeks apart
- Duration of effectAbout 6 months
- PriceFrom €300 per session
A skin booster is an injectable hyaluronic acid that improves skin quality: deep hydration, firmness, elasticity and radiance. It does not create volume. It is intended for tired, dehydrated or finely lined skin on the face, neck, décolleté and hands. The session lasts 15 minutes per area at the practice in Cannes, under anaesthetic cream, with no social downtime. The treatment consists of two sessions 6 weeks apart; the effect lasts about 6 months.
Price: from €300 per session; the consultation before the injection is free.
Who is it for?
With age, the skin contains less hyaluronic acid: it becomes dehydrated, loses its elasticity and radiance, and develops fine lines. Skin boosters are for women and men who have:
- dull, dehydrated or tired skin;
- fine lines and a less smooth skin texture;
- thin, loose skin on the neck, the décolleté or the backs of the hands.
It is a gentle aesthetic medicine treatment, to rejuvenate the skin or prevent it from ageing. It does not correct a hollow or sagging: that is the role of volumising hyaluronic acid filler or the non-surgical mini facelift.
Skin booster, mesolift or hyaluronic acid filler?
| Skin booster | Mesolift | Hyaluronic acid filler | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aim | Hydrate and firm the skin | Nourish and hydrate the skin | Fill a hollow, restore volume |
| Product | Free hyaluronic acid, lightly cross-linked or not cross-linked | Fluid solution: free hyaluronic acid, vitamins, trace elements | Cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel |
| Depth | Deep layer of the dermis | Superficial dermis | Deep dermis, fat or against the bone |
| Frequency | 2 sessions 6 weeks apart | 3 to 4 sessions a year | 1 session every 12 to 18 months |
| Price | From €300 per session | €130 per session | From €350 per syringe |
How do skin boosters work?
Hyaluronic acid is one of the main components of the skin; it retains water. A skin booster is a free hyaluronic acid, lightly cross-linked or not cross-linked, injected in tiny droplets into the deep layer of the dermis. It hydrates the skin from within and revitalises it: the skin becomes thicker, more elastic, smoother and more radiant. The products used are CE-marked: Restylane Vital and Vital Light (Galderma), and Profhilo (IBSA).
Before: thin dermis, little hyaluronic acid, fine lines on the surface.
Which areas can be treated?
- The face: cheeks, cheekbones, temples, the area around the mouth, and the lips to hydrate them;
- the neck and décolleté;
- the backs of the hands (see hand filler).
Only the tear troughs are a contraindication: the gel attracts water and can leave swelling in the form of bags. This is not permanent, as the skin booster can be dissolved with hyaluronidase. Tear troughs are treated with tear trough filler.
All areas
Blue-green: the areas treated; crossed out: the tear troughs, a contraindication. Tap an area to show it on its own.
What can it be combined with?
- The mesolift (biorevitalisation), a more fluid solution that provides the skin with its micronutrients;
- chemical peels: fruit acid peels (light peel) to exfoliate and cleanse the skin, TCA peels (medium peel) to smooth the skin texture;
- microneedling, which stimulates the skin with micro-needles.
How does a skin booster session work?
- ConsultationFree before the injection, at the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes in Cannes: examination of the skin, choice of areas and product.
- SessionAt the practice, 15 minutes per area: anaesthetic cream, then injection with a cannula or fine needle into the deep layer of the dermis.
- MassageOf the treated areas, recommended to spread the product evenly.
- Second session6 weeks later; then repeated when the effect fades, after about 6 months.
Is the injection painful?
Not very: an anaesthetic cream is applied before the session, and the cannula limits the number of entry points.
What is the recovery like?
- Social life: no social downtime.
- Injection points: small bumps (papules), redness or slight swelling, which disappear within 24 to 48 hours; most often no bruising.
- For 24 hours: avoid make-up, strong heat and intense exercise.
- Result: better-hydrated skin within a few days, optimal within 2 to 4 weeks; it lasts about 6 months.
Where will you be?
14 days after the session
What are the risks?
The most common side effects are temporary redness, slight swelling and, more rarely, bruising. More rarely still: small nodules, an inflammatory reaction or infection. In the tear troughs, a skin booster can leave swelling in the form of bags: that is why they are not treated. A result you are not happy with can be dissolved with hyaluronidase.
Contraindications: pregnancy and breastfeeding, an active skin infection in the area, certain autoimmune diseases; the tear troughs.
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery; university diploma (DU) in injection and filler techniques (Paris VIII University).
- Practising in Cannes since 2011; member of SOFCEP (French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), SOFCPRE (French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
- More than 12,000 filler injections.
How much do skin boosters cost in Cannes?
From €300
Per session; the treatment consists of two sessions 6 weeks apart. The consultation before the injection is free. Cosmetic injections are not reimbursed by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie). Other skin treatments and their prices: mesolift and chemical peels.
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions about skin boosters
What is a skin booster?
An injectable hyaluronic acid, free, lightly cross-linked or not cross-linked, which deeply hydrates and firms the skin. Unlike filler gels, it does not create volume.
How long does the effect of a skin booster last?
About 6 months, after two sessions 6 weeks apart. It is then maintained with a new session when the effect fades.
Do skin boosters fill wrinkles?
They smooth fine lines by hydrating and firming the skin, but they do not fill deep wrinkles or hollows: that is the role of volumising hyaluronic acid filler.
What is the difference between a skin booster and a mesolift?
A mesolift injects a more fluid, superficial solution of free hyaluronic acid, vitamins and trace elements, in 3 to 4 sessions a year. A skin booster, which is denser, is injected more deeply, in two sessions 6 weeks apart. The two can be combined.
Can the tear troughs be treated with a skin booster?
No. In the tear troughs, the gel attracts water and can leave swelling in the form of bags. Tear troughs are treated with a suitable hyaluronic acid filler.
Can I return to my activities straight after a skin booster?
Yes. There is no social downtime; the small injection marks disappear within 24 to 48 hours.
How much do skin boosters cost in Cannes?
From €300 per session; the treatment consists of two sessions 6 weeks apart. The consultation before the injection is free.