Aqua Shine (also written Aquashine) is an injectable skin booster used to improve the skin’s hydration and overall quality, a process known as biorevitalization.

As we age, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin decreases. This leads to dryness, loss of elasticity and a tired look. Aqua Shine aims to support the skin against this loss.

Aqua Shine is not a filler: it does not add volume or change the contours of the face. Its aim is to make the skin itself look more hydrated, smoother and more radiant. For volume loss or deep lines, other options such as filler are considered instead, which is why Aqua Shine belongs with youth and collagen injections.

What sets skin booster injections apart from moisturizers is that the ingredients are delivered directly into the middle layer of the skin. Creams can pass through the outer layer only to a limited degree, while injections place small doses in the targeted layer. Aqua Shine can be used for women and men; suitability depends on the condition of your skin rather than your age.

Aqua Shine combines non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid with peptides, vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Each supports the skin in a different way:

• Hyaluronic acid: Holds water, helping hydrate the skin and soften the look of fine lines.
• Peptides: Help support the skin’s renewal and improve its texture.
• Vitamins: Their antioxidant properties aim to support the skin against environmental stress.
• Amino acids and minerals: Provide building blocks for the skin’s own repair.

Aqua Shine is usually chosen for:

• Dry, dehydrated skin: Helping support moisture in skin prone to tightness and flaking.
• Fine lines: Softening the look of superficial lines caused by dehydration.
• Dull, tired skin: Restoring vitality lost to sun, stress or lack of sleep.
• Rough texture: Helping the skin surface look smoother.

Results vary from person to person. If there is sagging as well, Aqua Shine may be planned alongside tightening treatments such as HIFU / LIFU.

At our clinic in Nişantaşı, Istanbul, Aqua Shine is given by a doctor and takes about 30 minutes. For a few days beforehand, ask your doctor about pausing aspirin, high-dose omega-3 and vitamin E, which can increase bruising.

1. Preparation: The skin is cleansed with a HydraFacial skincare device treatment.
2. Numbing: A numbing cream is applied for comfort.
3. Injection: Aqua Shine is injected into the middle layer of the skin in small doses, at regular intervals, with very fine needles.
4. Finishing: The skin is calmed with soothing products and sunscreen is applied.

Small bumps at the injection points usually spread out and disappear within a few hours, and most people return to their day afterward. Before an important event, plan treatment a few days in advance. Aqua Shine can be used on the face, neck, décolleté and the backs of the hands; thin-skinned areas such as the neck and hands may show dehydration early and can be treated in the same session as the face. To support surface care too, it may be combined with regular porcelain skin care.

The most common effects after Aqua Shine are mild and temporary:

• Redness: Mild redness at the needle points.
• Small bumps: Tiny swellings at the injection points usually go within a few hours to two days.
• Bruising: Some people get small bruises that fade within a few days.

For the first 24 hours, avoid makeup and don’t touch or rub the treated area. In the first days, stay away from saunas, Turkish baths, swimming pools and intense exercise, and use sunscreen. Try not to sleep face down for the first few nights, and drink plenty of water. Allergic reactions are rare; if you notice unexpected swelling or pain, contact your doctor. A licensed product, sterile conditions and a doctor’s hands reduce the risk of problems such as infection.

Aqua Shine is usually given as a course, most often three sessions two to three weeks apart; the number is decided at your consultation based on your skin.

Changes in hydration may be noticed after the first sessions, with clearer results in the weeks after the course is complete. How long the effect lasts varies with age, skin type, smoking and sun protection. The hyaluronic acid it contains is broken down naturally by the body over time, so the effect is temporary.

Maintenance sessions may be planned after the course, at intervals decided at your follow-up based on your skin. Sunscreen and moisturizer also help maintain results. Aqua Shine can be used on its own or in the same plan as other skin quality treatments such as facial mesotherapy.