Legal note
The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.
We describe substances, not brands. Preparations in this group are medical devices, and the choice of a specific product is made by the doctor during qualification, based on the condition of the skin and the treatment area.
On this page
Why they are called soft
The division into soft and hard biostimulators relates to the layer the preparation works in and what it works on. Soft biostimulators are administered superficially, into the dermis, and their purpose is to improve its quality: density, hydration, elasticity and skin tone. They do not build support and do not change the facial contour.
This feature determines the scope of use. Preparations in this group can be administered in areas where the skin is thin, including around the eyes, on the neck and on the chest, that is, where excess volume would be a mistake. We describe the full division into three groups on the page about tissue biostimulators.
Collagen and tropocollagen
Collagen is the main structural protein of the skin and is responsible for its density and elasticity. With age its production decreases, and existing fibres become damaged, among other things under the influence of UV radiation.
Injectable preparations contain collagen or tropocollagen, its molecular starting form. The material administered into the skin performs two functions: for a certain time it acts as a scaffold for the tissue, while also stimulating fibroblasts to produce the body's own collagen. This second action is more important here, as it determines how long the effect will last.
This should not be confused with collagen taken orally. A preparation administered into the skin acts in a layer that a supplement does not reach, and these are two different interventions with a different evidence base.
Polynucleotides
Polynucleotides are chains built from nucleotides, the basic components of nucleic acids. In injectable preparations they are most often obtained from fish derived material, purified of proteins.
The described mechanism includes binding water in the tissue, supporting repair processes and reducing oxidative stress. In practice, this group is often chosen for skin that is thin, dehydrated and irritated, as well as for the eye area, where the aim is to improve tissue quality without adding volume.
This is a method newer than collagen and hyaluronic acid. Research is ongoing, and the described directions of action are not the same as a predictable clinical effect in a specific person. We discuss this at the consultation before we propose a series.
Amino acids and peptides
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, including collagen and elastin. Injectable preparations use specific sets of them, most often glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, the ones involved in collagen synthesis.
The logic of this group is to supply the skin with material to work with, rather than a ready made effect. That is why amino acid preparations are often combined in a series with other methods, and on their own are rarely the only answer to the reported problem.
How they differ from needle mesotherapy
The administration technique is similar, so the question comes up again at consultations. The difference lies in the composition of the preparation and in what we expect from it.
Mesotherapy for the skin
Nourishing and hydrating the skin: vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, non cross linked hyaluronic acid. The effect mainly concerns hydration and condition, it can appear faster and also fades faster.
Soft biostimulator
Stimulating the skin to produce its own collagen. The effect builds up over weeks and concerns the density and elasticity of the tissue, not just hydration. The therapy is planned as a series with set intervals.
A description of mesotherapy itself, with its course and recommendations, is on the page about needle mesotherapy. We offer hydration of the skin with non cross linked hyaluronic acid as a separate treatment, described in the section about revitalisation with hyaluronic acid. The line between these methods can be thin, and the choice is made by the doctor based on the condition of the skin, not the name of the preparation.
Indications, or what they help with
This group is also sometimes used to prepare the tissue before other treatments or after them, at set intervals. The order matters and is set by the doctor, who plans the whole therapy, not a single visit.
What a soft biostimulator will not do
It will not add volume. For a sunken cheek or a deep fold, the starting point is a filler or a preparation from the hard group.
It will not change the facial contour and will not replace a lift. With noticeable sagging, the scope of possible change is limited.
It does not act on expression lines, because those follow from muscle movement rather than from the quality of the tissue.
It will not replace skincare and sun protection. Without them, the effect of the series will last for a shorter time.
Course of the treatment and the series
The first treatment takes from 45 minutes. A series is usually three to four treatments at intervals of four to six weeks, and for very dehydrated skin or after intense sun exposure the number can be higher. The therapy makes sense as a whole: a single treatment rarely gives a change that can be noticed.
The results and when they are visible
The first changes are usually described four to eight weeks after the first treatment and concern the quality of the skin: hydration, density, evening out of skin tone, softening of fine lines. The full picture is assessed after the series is completed and after a further few weeks.
The effect usually lasts from a few months to a year or more, depending on the preparation and individual skin regeneration. It fades gradually, because it is based on remodelled tissue, which continues to undergo natural ageing. Sun protection and skincare genuinely affect how long the result of the series lasts.
Reactions after the treatment
After administration, redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection sites are possible, sometimes with minor bruising. With shallow administration, small palpable nodules can also occur, which usually resolve within one to two days.
No make-up for 24 hours
For the first 24 hours, do not apply make-up to the treatment area and do not touch the injection sites.
No high temperatures
Sauna, steam baths, swimming pool and sunbeds only after two weeks.
Sun protection
Sun protection on the treatment area for a few days, and continuously for skin with pigmentation. Sun exposure limits the effect the preparation is working towards.
No exercise or alcohol for a day
For at least 24 hours no alcohol and no intense physical exercise.
We keep the full list of contraindications and a description of complications, including delayed inflammatory reaction, in one place, on the tissue biostimulators page. They apply to all three groups.
The questions we are asked most often
How do soft biostimulators differ from needle mesotherapy?
The administration technique is similar, but the composition and purpose differ. Needle mesotherapy nourishes and hydrates the skin with a vitamin cocktail or non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid. A soft biostimulator is meant to stimulate the skin to produce its own collagen, so its effect builds up more slowly and concerns tissue density. The line can be thin, and the choice is decided by a skin assessment, not the name of the treatment.
Will a soft biostimulator add volume?
No. This group works on the quality and density of the skin, not its shape. For a sunken cheek or a deep fold, the starting point is a hyaluronic acid filler or a preparation from the hard group.
How many treatments with a soft biostimulator are needed?
Usually a series of three to four treatments at intervals of four to six weeks. For heavily dehydrated skin or after intensive sun exposure, the number can be higher. It is set by the doctor during the qualification, before the first treatment.
Can they be used in the eye area?
Yes, this is one of the more common areas for this group, because the preparations are administered shallowly and do not build volume. Qualification here is cautious though: the eyelid skin is thin and prone to swelling, and a shadow under the eye does not always come from the quality of the skin. It can be pigmentation or the result of volume loss, and then the approach is different.
How long before the effect is visible?
Usually four to eight weeks after the first treatment. The full picture is assessed after the series ends and after a further few weeks, because tissue remodelling continues. A single treatment rarely gives a change that can be noticed.
Will a soft biostimulator replace a cream?
No, these are methods on different levels. A preparation administered into the skin works in a layer that a cosmetic product does not reach, but it does not remove the need for daily skincare or sun protection. Without them, the effect of the series will last for a shorter time.
How much do soft biostimulators cost?
The cost depends on the preparation, the area and the number of treatments in the series, which is why we keep one current aesthetic medicine price list instead of scattered amounts across subpages. At the consultation, you will learn the price of the whole series, not just the first treatment.
Does the treatment hurt?
We apply numbing cream for comfort, although it is not required. The preparation is administered shallowly, with a thin needle. After the treatment, for one to two days the area can be tender, with possible small nodules and bruising at the injection sites.
The content is for information. It does not replace a consultation, an examination or an individual medical assessment.