SkinVive before and after
Your relationship with your spa med injector is the same as a colorist. You trust their expertise, they know your head, and when they recommend something new, you jump. As the ideal candidate — a 40-something woman with thirsty skin — my injector Anna Grancher, Clinical Director of SpaDerma in Chicago, offered me this treatment pro bono as education for her staff. And as your beauty editor, I couldn’t help but report it.
Juvederm, the makers of Botox, released SKINVIVE in the U.S. in September 2023, after years of success abroad. SKINVIVE is not a neurotoxin (like Botox) or a filler (like Juvederm), but more like a heavy-duty, long-lasting injectable moisturizer. The brand calls it “the first and only FDA-approved hyaluronic acid (HA) microdroplet injectable in the U.S. to improve skin smoothness of the cheeks.”
How SkinVive works
We know that hydration impacts skin quality and the way lines and texture appear. Glycerol is important in hydration since it provides elasticity to the skin and helps to repair the epidermal barrier. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) — a protein that facilitates the flow of water and glycerol into and out of cells — significantly decreases with age and environmental factors like sun exposure, causing skin dryness both in skin’s feel and appearance. When patients get SKINVIVE, their AQP3 increases, which means hydration within the dermis — which means plump and glowing skin.
My experience with SkinVive
Anna graphed out my cheeks (pictured) and then injected each quadrant with a tiny poke of SKINVIVE’s hyaluronic acid and lidocaine for pain (as well as and butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE), a crosslinking agent used in hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers). The procedure took a few minutes and didn’t hurt at all.
In about two weeks, I saw a bit of acne on my cheeks, which is typical for my sensitive skin after any treatment. Then in roughly four weeks, my cheeks plumped to a radiant glow, kind of like after you sleep for nine hours with your best overnight moisturizer — but without any effort.
The craziest result to me isn’t the appearance, but the actual texture of my skin. I find myself constantly touching my cheeks because they’re so insanely soft, as if my skin were made of that peach-fuzz fabric you find on Squishmallows or Lululemon Softstreme fabric. I also noticed that my skin “behaves” better, which is one of the products selling points.
Should you get SkinVive?
In clinical trials, SKINVIVE patients reported improvement in skin’s smoothness, lines, hydration, and glow at the one-month mark, which lasted for six months. 85% of participants said that the overall aesthetic of their skin improved as well. This is all to say that positive results are in your favor.
The biggest blocker for me would be the cost. In Chicago, treatment starts at $650 (2 mL), and most patients will be at this amount.
In my opinion, if you have the means and desire, go for it. If instead you’re budgeting for your spa med procedures, you might opt for an injectable with more immediate and long-lasting results like filler, or for very obvious results like Botox.
This article was originally published here on The Midst Substack.
Read more of my skin care advice:
Saying “yes” to Botox: Why most Gen X women don’t raise a brow
Changing face: The truth about our skin before and during menopause
