If you have noticed thinner, drier or crepey-looking skin on the backs of your hands, you may be wondering whether Profhilo could help. Your hands experience regular sun exposure, washing and everyday movement, which can gradually affect your skin’s hydration, elasticity and overall appearance.
Profhilo is designed to improve your skin quality rather than simply add volume. It may help your hands look smoother, more hydrated and less crepey, although the evidence specifically for hand treatment is still developing, so your results may vary.
Why Do the Backs of Your Hands Become Crepey?
Your hand skin can become thinner and less elastic as you age, while the supportive tissue underneath can also decrease. This can make fine lines, wrinkles and loose, crinkled skin more noticeable.
Your sun exposure can also contribute to ageing, pigmentation and changes in skin quality, while frequent washing may leave your hands feeling dry. However, your crepey texture is usually caused by deeper changes in your skin structure, not simply a lack of moisturiser.
What Does Crepey Skin on the Hands Look Like?
Your crepey hand skin may look fine, crinkled and slightly loose, with lots of small lines across the backs of your hands. You may also notice that your skin looks thinner and more delicate, with your veins, tendons or knuckles becoming more visible.
Your main concern can help you choose the right treatment. If you mainly want to improve dry, thin or crepey-looking skin, a treatment focused on your skin quality may be more suitable, while significant volume loss or pigmentation may need a different approach.
How Does Profhilo Work?
Your Profhilo treatment uses high and low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid to improve your skin quality rather than simply adding volume like a traditional dermal filler. It is injected into your skin and may support improvements in hydration, elasticity, skin density and overall texture.
Your skin naturally contains hyaluronic acid, which helps it hold water, so this can contribute to a smoother and more hydrated appearance. However, you should not expect Profhilo to completely reverse the structural changes caused by ageing; it is better viewed as a treatment that may help your skin look healthier and more refined.
Can Profhilo Be Used on the Hands?
Profhilo Body has been studied specifically for treatment of the backs of the hands. A hand-specific study summarised in a 2026 systematic review reported improvements in measures including skin laxity, density and elastic properties, but the evidence base remains relatively small and is less established than the evidence for facial treatment.
You should ask your practitioner which Profhilo formulation is right for your hands and why. Your treatment should be tailored to your skin and the changes you want to improve, rather than assuming that the same approach used on your face will be suitable for your hands.
Evidence Note
Hand-specific research is available, but the evidence base is still relatively small. A study included in a 2026 systematic review followed 46 people receiving two Profhilo Body treatments to the backs of the hands and reported improvements in measures including skin laxity, roughness, density and elastic properties over 16 weeks.
The hand study was single-centre and uncontrolled, so it provides weaker evidence than a large randomised controlled trial. This means the findings are encouraging, but they should be interpreted as evidence of possible benefit rather than a guarantee of a particular cosmetic result.
Can Profhilo Improve Hydration on the Backs of the Hands?
Your Profhilo treatment may help improve hydration on the backs of your hands because the hyaluronic acid in it can hold water within your skin. This may help your hands look smoother and feel more supple, although it will not necessarily remove deeper wrinkles or significant laxity.
Your results will depend on your skin and the treatment used. Research suggests that injectable hyaluronic acid can improve aspects of ageing hand skin, but you should not assume that evidence for one product applies to every injectable treatment.
Can Profhilo Make Crepey Skin Look Smoother?
Your Profhilo treatment may make your crepey hand skin look smoother if dryness, reduced elasticity and changes in skin quality are contributing to the appearance. You may notice that your skin looks more hydrated, feels softer and that fine crinkled lines are less noticeable.
You should still have realistic expectations, as Profhilo cannot completely remove the structural changes caused by ageing. Your results may be subtle, and the aim is to improve the overall look and feel of your skin rather than make it look as it did years ago.
Research Insight
A 2026 systematic review assessed nine Profhilo and Profhilo Body studies involving 278 participants across the face and several body areas, including the hands. Overall, the studies reported improvements or trends towards improvement in outcomes such as elasticity, density and skin laxity.
The review also highlighted important limitations: the studies were largely single-centre, many had relatively small sample sizes and most participants were women. The systematic review was funded by IBSA Farmaceutici, the manufacturer of Profhilo, and three of its five authors were IBSA employees. Larger independent comparative studies would strengthen confidence in the findings.
Is Profhilo the Same as Hand Filler?
Traditional hand filler is mainly used to restore lost volume on the backs of your hands, which can make your veins and tendons look more prominent. Profhilo is different because it is primarily designed to improve your skin quality rather than add significant volume.
If your hands mainly look thin, dry or crepey, Profhilo may be more relevant for you. If you have noticeable volume loss as well, your practitioner may discuss a different or combined approach based on the changes you want to improve.
What Can Profhilo Do for Ageing Hands?
Profhilo may help improve the overall quality of ageing skin on the backs of your hands. It is mainly used to support hydration, texture and mild skin laxity rather than replace lost volume.
1. Improve hydration: Your skin may feel softer and look more hydrated.
2. Soften fine lines: Mild crinkling and fine lines may become less noticeable.
3. Improve crepey texture: Your skin may appear smoother and more refined.
4. Support mild laxity: Profhilo may help improve the appearance of slightly loose skin.
It is not designed to remove prominent veins, treat pigmentation or restore significant volume. Your practitioner can advise whether another treatment may be better for those concerns.
Can Profhilo Reduce Visible Veins and Tendons?
Profhilo may improve the overall appearance of your hands, but you should not expect it to make prominent veins or tendons disappear. These can become more visible when the skin and tissue over the backs of your hands become thinner or lose volume.
If your main concern is thin, crepey skin, improving your skin quality may help. If you have significant volume loss, your practitioner may discuss a volume-restoring treatment instead.
How Does Profhilo Compare With Other Treatments for Crepey Hands?
Your best treatment will depend on what you want to improve. If your main concern is thin, dry or mildly crepey skin, Profhilo may help improve your skin quality, while laser or light treatments may be more suitable for pigmentation and sun damage.
Your practitioner may recommend a different approach if you have significant volume loss, deeper lines or other concerns. You can also support the overall condition of your hand skin with regular moisturisation and daily sun protection.
Clinical Tip
Before choosing a treatment, identify which feature of your hands bothers you most. Crepey texture, pigmentation, prominent veins and loss of volume are different concerns and may respond better to different approaches.
Ask your practitioner to explain which change they expect Profhilo to improve and which features are unlikely to respond. This can help you set realistic expectations and avoid choosing a skin-quality treatment when your main concern actually requires volume restoration or pigmentation treatment.
Which Treatment May Suit Different Signs of Ageing Hands?
| Main concern | Treatment approach that may be considered | Main aim |
| Crepey or mildly lax skin | Profhilo Body or another skin-quality treatment | Improve aspects of texture, laxity and skin quality |
| Significant volume loss | Dermal filler or another volume-restoring approach | Replace lost volume and soften visible underlying structures |
| Prominent veins or tendons caused by volume loss | Volume-restoring treatment may be considered | Improve soft-tissue coverage rather than directly treating the vein or tendon |
| Brown spots or sun pigmentation | Appropriate topical, peel, laser or light-based treatment | Target pigmentation rather than volume or skin hydration |
| Dry or rough skin | Moisturiser, sun protection and appropriate skincare | Support the skin barrier and improve surface dryness |
| Combination of concerns | Individualised or staged treatment plan | Address different causes separately rather than expecting one procedure to treat everything |
How Many Profhilo Treatments Might You Need?
Your treatment plan will depend on the Profhilo product used, your skin and the changes you want to improve. You may need an initial course rather than a single treatment, with your practitioner deciding when further sessions or maintenance may be appropriate.
Your results are usually progressive, so you should not expect a dramatic change immediately after your first treatment. Because your hands are a delicate treatment area, using the right amount of product and following an appropriate protocol is more important than simply having more product injected.
When Will You See Results on Your Hands?
You may notice your hands looking more hydrated relatively soon after treatment, but broader changes in skin quality may take several weeks to develop. You may initially have mild swelling or small injection marks, which should settle as your skin recovers.
Your final result may be subtle rather than dramatic. If you want your hands to look smoother, healthier and less crepey, Profhilo may be more suitable for you than a treatment designed to significantly change their volume or shape.
Is There Much Downtime After Profhilo on the Hands?
Your hands may have some temporary redness, swelling, small raised bumps or bruising after Profhilo. These effects are usually mild and often settle within a few days, although your recovery can vary.
Because you use and see your hands constantly, you may notice these small marks more than you would after treatment elsewhere. Your practitioner will give you aftercare advice. Contact your practitioner promptly if swelling or discomfort is getting worse. Seek urgent medical assessment if you develop severe or rapidly increasing pain, marked blanching, mottled or blue-grey skin colour changes, unusual coldness, numbness or reduced movement or strength in the treated hand.
Is Profhilo Suitable If Your Hands Have Sun Damage?
Profhilo may be considered if sun exposure has left your hands looking dry, thin or crepey, as it is designed to improve your skin quality. However, it is not primarily a treatment for your brown sun spots or pigmentation.
If pigmentation is your main concern, your practitioner may discuss other options such as topical treatments, peels or light-based treatments. You should also protect your hands from further sun damage with regular broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Who May Be Suitable for Profhilo on the Hands?
You may be suitable for Profhilo if your main concerns are dry, thin, mildly lax or crepey-looking skin and you want a non-surgical treatment. Your practitioner should first assess your skin quality, volume loss, visible veins and tendons, and any pigmentation.
Your health, medicines, allergies and previous treatments can also affect your suitability. You should have realistic expectations, as Profhilo may improve your skin quality but will not stop the natural ageing process.
UK Guidance Note
Injectable cosmetic procedures should involve an appropriate consultation, discussion of expected benefits and limitations, informed consent and a clear plan for managing complications. In England, the government remains committed to introducing a licensing scheme for lower-risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures. An earlier consultation proposed including biorevitalisation injections and other hyaluronic-acid injections, but the final procedures and requirements have not yet been set in legislation and remain subject to further consultation and the parliamentary process.
Whatever the regulatory framework, you should check your practitioner’s qualifications, experience with the treatment area and arrangements for managing complications. For hand treatment in particular, detailed knowledge of the anatomy is important because veins, nerves and tendons lie close beneath the skin.
How Can You Maintain Younger-Looking Hands After Treatment?
Your daily hand care can support the overall condition of your skin after treatment. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen on the backs of your hands and reapply it when needed, especially after washing or spending time outdoors.
Your regular moisturiser can also help keep your skin hydrated and make dryness and roughness less noticeable. If you use active skincare products, introduce them gradually and follow your practitioner’s advice.
Myth vs Fact
| Myth | Fact |
| Profhilo works like a traditional hand filler. | Profhilo is primarily used to improve aspects of skin quality, while conventional hand fillers are generally selected when restoring lost volume is the main aim. |
| Profhilo will make prominent veins and tendons disappear. | It may improve the quality of the overlying skin, but it is not intended to replace substantial lost volume or directly remove prominent veins and tendons. |
| One treatment will give everyone the full result. | The hand study identified in recent research used two Profhilo Body treatments, and individual responses can vary. |
| Profhilo will remove brown sun spots from the hands. | Profhilo is not primarily a pigmentation treatment. Sun spots may require topical, peel, laser or light-based approaches depending on their cause. |
| More product always produces a better result. | The treatment amount and technique should be based on your anatomy, skin quality and the product protocol rather than simply using more injectable material. |
Key Takeaways
1. Profhilo Body has been studied specifically for skin ageing on the backs of the hands.
2. It may improve aspects of skin laxity, texture, density and elasticity.
3. It is not the same as a traditional volume-restoring hand filler.
4. Prominent veins, major volume loss and pigmentation may need different treatments.
5. Results are usually gradual and can vary between individuals.
6. Increasing pain, swelling or unusual skin colour changes should be assessed promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can Profhilo improve crepey skin on your hands?
Profhilo may help your hands look smoother, more hydrated and less crepey. Your results can vary depending on your skin quality and the changes you want to improve.
2. How does Profhilo work on the backs of your hands?
Profhilo uses hyaluronic acid to support improvements in your skin’s hydration, elasticity, density and texture. It is designed to improve skin quality rather than add significant volume.
3. Can Profhilo improve hydration on your hands?
Yes, Profhilo may improve hydration and help your hand skin feel softer and more supple. However, it may not remove deeper wrinkles or significant laxity.
4. Is Profhilo the same as hand filler?
No. Hand filler is mainly used to restore lost volume, while Profhilo is primarily designed to improve your skin quality.
5. Can Profhilo reduce visible veins and tendons on your hands?
Profhilo is not designed to make prominent veins or tendons disappear. If you have significant volume loss, your practitioner may discuss a volume-restoring treatment instead.
6. How many Profhilo treatments might you need for your hands?
Your treatment plan depends on the product used, your skin and your concerns. You may need an initial course rather than a single treatment.
7. When will you see Profhilo results on your hands?
You may notice improved hydration relatively soon, but broader changes in skin quality can take several weeks to develop. Your final improvement is usually gradual rather than dramatic.
8. Is there much downtime after Profhilo on your hands?
You may have temporary redness, swelling, small bumps or bruising. These effects are usually mild and often settle within a few days.
9. Can Profhilo treat sun damage on your hands?
Profhilo may help if sun exposure has contributed to dry, thin or crepey skin. It is not primarily a treatment for brown spots or pigmentation, which may need a different approach.
10. How can you maintain your hand skin after Profhilo?
You can support the overall condition of your hand skin by using regular moisturiser and broad-spectrum sunscreen on the backs of your hands. Reapply sunscreen when needed, particularly after washing or spending time outdoors.
Final Thoughts: Profhilo for Hands
Profhilo may help improve the hydration, elasticity and overall appearance of crepey skin on the backs of your hands. However, it is not designed to replace significant lost volume, remove prominent veins or treat pigmentation, so your results will depend on the changes you want to address.
If you’re looking for Profhilo treatment in London, you can get in touch with us at the London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic.
References:
1. Sparavigna, A. et al. (2026) ‘A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of Profhilo® and Profhilo® Body’, Plastic and Aesthetic Nursing, 46(2), pp. 80–92. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41920062/
2. Humzah, D. et al. (2024) ‘Intradermal injection of hybrid complexes of high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronan: Where do we stand and where are we headed in regenerative medicine?’, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(6), 3216. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/6/3216
3. Hassan, L. et al. (2026) ‘Hand rejuvenation with dermal fillers: Key aspects and a comparison of commonly used fillers’, Clinics in Dermatology, 44(1), pp. 183–191. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738081X25003293
4. Har-Shai, L. et al. (2023) ‘Revitalizing hands: A comprehensive review of anatomy and treatment options for hand rejuvenation’, Cureus, 15(2), e35573. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10063163/
5. Wu, Y. et al. (2020) ‘A randomized study showing improved skin quality and aesthetic appearance of dorsal hands after hyaluronic acid gel treatment in a Chinese population’, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 19(7), pp. 1627–1635. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769596/
