Medical Aesthetics
Which Treatment Does What? A Visual Comparison
Seven doctor-led medical aesthetic treatments, side by side: how each one works, how they differ, and when each is typically the right conversation to have.
This is a summary guide, not medical advice. Every face, every skin and every goal is different; the right plan can only be defined in consultation with our medical team.
Book a ConsultationA starting point, not a prescription. The comparisons on this page are intentionally simplified to help you understand the landscape of options. They do not replace a clinical consultation; treatments are frequently combined, and what is right for one patient may be unsuitable for another. Our doctors will assess your individual case and advise honestly, including when no treatment, or a surgical option, is the better answer.
At a Glance
The Seven Treatments, Side by Side
Scroll horizontally on smaller screens. Each treatment name links to its full page.
| Treatment | How it works | Session | Results visible | Typical duration | Downtime | Typical protocol | Investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botulinum Toxin Muscle relaxation | Relaxes specific muscles to soften dynamic lines caused by repeated expression | 15–30 min | 2–4 days, full effect day 15 | 4–6 months | None | Single session, repeated 2–3× per year | £££££ |
| Hyaluronic Acid Fillers Volume & contour | Adds immediate volume to restore structure, define contours and correct lines | ~30 min | Immediate | 6–12 months | Minimal | Single session; reversible with hyaluronidase | £££££ |
| Biostimulators Collagen induction | Activates your own fibroblasts to rebuild collagen, firmness and skin quality | ~20 min | Progressive, over weeks | 1–2 years | Minimal | Course of 3 monthly sessions | £££££ |
| NCTF Skin Booster Revitalisation | Injectable cocktail of 50+ actives restoring hydration, luminosity and skin nutrition | ~15 min | First results from 3 days | Up to 2 years | None | Course of sessions every 6 weeks | £££££ |
| Microneedling Skin repair response | Controlled micro-injuries trigger the skin's own repair: texture, scars, pores | ~30 min | Progressive, over weeks | Long-term with maintenance | 2–3 days | 4–6 sessions, 4–6 weeks apart | £££££ |
| Morpheus8 RF microneedling | Microneedling plus radiofrequency reaching deeper layers, tightening and remodelling | ~1 hour | Progressive, over months | ~1 year | Minimal | 1–3 sessions | £££££ |
| Renuvion Subdermal tightening | Helium plasma + radiofrequency beneath the skin for immediate tissue contraction | Surgical environment | Full result 6–9 months | 5–8 years | 1–2 weeks | Typically a single procedure | £££££ |
Values are typical ranges drawn from our treatment pages. The £ scale is a relative indication of investment within our portfolio, not a price; exact values depend on your individual plan and are confirmed at consultation.
Longevity
How Long Results Typically Last
A visual guide to the typical lifespan of each treatment's results, from fast-acting and shorter-lived to gradual and long-lasting.
In More Detail
Strengths and Considerations of Each Treatment
No treatment is "better" in the abstract; each is the right tool for a different job. Here is an honest summary of what each does well, and what it does not do.
Botulinum Toxin
Best suited for: dynamic wrinkles (forehead lines, frown lines, crow's feet), plus therapeutic uses such as bruxism, hyperhidrosis and migraines.
Advantages
- Quick sessions with no downtime
- Decades of safety data
- Predictable, adjustable effect
- Therapeutic applications beyond aesthetics
Considerations
- Only treats movement-related lines
- No effect on volume, texture or laxity
- Wears off in 4–6 months
Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
Best suited for: restoring lost volume and defining contours: lips, cheekbones, jawline, chin, nasolabial folds and tear troughs.
Advantages
- Immediate, visible result
- Reversible with hyaluronidase
- Precise, sculptural control
- Minimal downtime
Considerations
- Repeated every 6–12 months
- Does not improve overall skin quality
- Not a treatment for skin laxity
Biostimulators
Best suited for: loss of firmness and skin quality on the face, neck, hands and body, when you want gradual, natural improvement rather than added volume.
Advantages
- Rebuilds your own collagen
- Entirely natural-looking progression
- Long-lasting (1–2 years)
- Works on face and body
Considerations
- Requires a course of 3 sessions
- Results take weeks to appear
- Cannot be dissolved: experience matters
NCTF Skin Booster
Best suited for: dull, dehydrated or tired-looking skin, fine surface lines and under-eye delicacy, restoring glow rather than changing shape.
Advantages
- 15-minute sessions, no downtime
- First results within days
- Excellent alongside other treatments
- Deep hydration and luminosity
Considerations
- Subtle: no volume or lifting effect
- Requires an initial course
- Not for significant lines or laxity
Microneedling
Best suited for: acne scars, enlarged pores, uneven texture, early fine lines and stretch marks: surface-level skin quality concerns.
Advantages
- Uses your skin's own repair biology
- Clinically proven for acne scarring
- Suitable for face and body
- No injected substances required
Considerations
- Course of 4–6 sessions needed
- 2–3 days of visible redness
- Limited effect on deeper laxity
Morpheus8
Best suited for: skin laxity, jowls, deeper scars and body contouring, when standard microneedling does not reach deep enough.
Advantages
- Reaches deeper tissue layers
- Tightening plus texture in one treatment
- Fewer sessions than microneedling
- Effective on face and body
Considerations
- Longer sessions (~1 hour)
- Results build over months
- Higher investment than surface treatments
Renuvion
Best suited for: significant skin laxity on the neck, arms, abdomen and thighs: the strongest non-excisional tightening available, often combined with liposuction.
Advantages
- Immediate subdermal tissue contraction
- Results lasting 5–8 years
- Single procedure in most cases
- Reaches laxity surface treatments cannot
Considerations
- Performed in a surgical environment
- 1–2 weeks of recovery
- Full result takes 6–9 months
Where to Start
Match Your Concern to the Right Conversation
Start from what bothers you, not from the treatment name. These pairings are the typical starting point; your consultation may lead elsewhere.
A Note on Combinations
Most Real Treatment Plans Combine Approaches
These treatments are not competitors; they address different layers of the same picture. Botulinum toxin works on muscle, fillers on volume, biostimulators and microneedling on skin structure, NCTF on hydration, and Morpheus8 and Renuvion on deeper laxity. A frown line, a loss of cheek volume and dull skin are three different problems with three different answers.
This is why many of our patients follow a combined plan; for example, botulinum toxin for expression lines alongside a biostimulator course for firmness, or NCTF to enhance skin quality before or after other treatments. Sequencing, dosing and product selection are clinical decisions that depend entirely on your anatomy, your goals and your timeline.
It is also why an honest consultation matters: sometimes the right answer is a single treatment, sometimes a combination, and sometimes, where laxity or volume loss is significant, a surgical option will achieve what no injectable can. As a surgeon-led clinic, we will always tell you which is which.
Before You Decide
This Comparison Does Not Replace a Consultation
Everything on this page is a simplified summary. Your skin type, anatomy, medical history, expectations and lifestyle all change which treatment (or combination) is genuinely right for you, and whether any treatment is advisable at all.
At ASG, every aesthetic treatment is performed or directly supervised by our doctors, and every plan starts with an individual clinical assessment in Lisbon, in Oxford, or by video call.