Sunekos Christchurch: Amino Acid and Hyaluronic Acid Skin Treatment

Sunekos is an injectable treatment aimed at the quality of your skin rather than its shape. It combines hyaluronic acid with a patented blend of six amino acids, the components your body uses to build collagen and elastin, and places them into the layer of skin where that building happens.

We most often consider it when the concern is not lost volume but skin that has become thin, dull, crepey or tired-looking, including the delicate skin around the eyes.

Whether it is the right treatment for you is a conversation, not a given. Start with a consultation.

What is Sunekos?

Sunekos is an injectable combination of hyaluronic acid and amino acids. It is designed to work on the structure and behaviour of your skin from within, rather than sitting beneath it to create shape.

The formula is called HY6AA. Hyaluronic acid combined with six amino acids: glycine, L-proline, L-lysine, L-alanine, L-valine and L-leucine. Hyaluronic acid holds water in the skin. The amino acids are the building blocks of collagen and elastin. The rationale for combining them is that your skin receives both hydration and the raw material it needs to rebuild its own support network.

How Sunekos Works

Sunekos is injected into the dermis across the treatment area in a series of small, shallow points. The target is the extracellular matrix, the network of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid that gives skin its firmness, thickness and bounce.

As we age, that matrix thins and repairs itself less readily. Fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen and elastin, slow down. The intention behind Sunekos is to supply those cells with the specific amino acids they draw on to do that work, alongside hyaluronic acid for immediate hydration.

Change tends to appear in two stages. Hydration and a fresher look are usually the first thing people notice. Change in firmness and texture, where it occurs, builds more gradually across the course and for some weeks after it finishes.

The Initial Series (3 Treatments, 2 Weeks Apart)

Think of the first three sessions as your "collagen foundation." By spacing these treatments exactly 14 days apart, we provide a continuous supply of the HY66A patented formula to your fibroblasts.

This sustained stimulation is what triggers the production of new elastin and collagen in the extracellular matrix.

Most clients see an immediate "glow" after session one, but the real structural tightening peaks after session three.

The Maintenance Cycle (Every 6 Months)

Because Sunekos works by changing your skin's internal structure, the results are lasting but they aren't permanent. We recommend a single maintenance session every six months. This "top-up" ensures your skin stays in a regenerative state, preventing the return of fine lines and crepey texture.

What Sunekos May Help With

It's a good fit for fine lines and early wrinkles, thin or crepey skin, and that loss of firmness and elasticity that tends to creep in gradually. It also helps with skin that looks dull, dehydrated or simply tired, crepiness and shadowing under the eyes, uneven texture and lines around the mouth. And it isn't limited to the face, the neck, décolletage and the backs of the hands often show their age first, and all three respond well.

Sunekos for Under-Eye Skin

The skin around your eyes is among the thinnest on the body, and it is often where ageing shows first. As it loses collagen it can become crepey and translucent, which lets the tissue beneath show through as shadowing.

Under-eye darkness usually has more than one cause. Skin thinness, visible vasculature, pigment and the underlying bony contour all contribute, frequently in combination. Sunekos addresses only the skin-quality component, it is intended to hydrate and thicken the skin itself rather than fill the space beneath it. It will not change darkness driven by pigment or by bone structure. At consultation we assess which cause appears dominant for you, and tell you honestly if Sunekos is unlikely to help.

How Is Sunekos Different From Dermal Filler?

This is the question we are asked most.

Dermal filler is crosslinked hyaluronic acid. It is designed to hold its shape and occupy space, creating structure, more projection in a lip, more support in a cheek. The result is immediate, and it lasts because the gel stays where it is placed.

The Sunekos formulation we use for skin quality is not crosslinked, and is not intended to create contour. What it aims to change is the condition of the skin, how hydrated, thick and resilient it is.

Any change should be in the condition of the skin rather than its shape.

The two are not mutually exclusive, and many people have both. Filler addresses structural loss; Sunekos is aimed at the skin that sits over it.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Consultation first. We assess your skin, talk through what is actually driving your concern, take a medical history, and confirm whether Sunekos is appropriate for you. If something else would serve you better, we will say so. If nothing would, we will say that too.

‍On the day. Numbing cream goes on and is left for around 20 minutes. The injections take 20 to 30 minutes depending on the area covered. Most people describe it as manageable, small, quick pinches.

‍Straight afterwards. Expect small raised bumps at each injection point and some redness. These usually settle over the following few hours and are typically gone by the next morning, though they can last up to 48 hours. Bruising is possible, particularly around the eyes.

‍Then. Where Sunekos works well, hydration and brightness are usually noticed first, with change in firmness and texture developing across the course and for some weeks afterwards. This varies considerably between individuals.

Common Questions About Sunekos

Is Sunekos a dermal filler? The Sunekos formulation we use for skin quality is not crosslinked, so it is not designed to hold shape or create contour the way a dermal filler is. Its purpose is to change the condition of the skin, hydration, thickness, resilience, rather than its shape.

What is Sunekos made of? Hyaluronic acid combined with six amino acids: glycine, L-proline, L-lysine, L-alanine, L-valine and L-leucine. This patented combination is known as HY6AA. The amino acids are the building blocks your body uses to make collagen and elastin.

How many Sunekos sessions do I need? Our standard course is three sessions two weeks apart, and some skin benefits from a fourth. Manufacturer protocols allow for two to four sessions with intervals that vary by formulation and area. Maintenance afterwards is usually a single session, with timing based on your own result.

How much does Sunekos cost in New Zealand? At The Face, a three-session Sunekos course is $2,000 and a single session is $700. Across New Zealand clinics, published prices currently run from around $500 to $1,200 per session, or roughly $1,350 to $3,200 for a course, depending on the areas treated and the practitioner.

How long does Sunekos last? In our experience most people hold their result for around six to twelve months after a completed course, and some choose to top up sooner.
Because the treatment works through your own collagen and elastin, results fade gradually rather than dropping off.

When will I see results? Where Sunekos works well, hydration and brightness are usually the first change noticed, typically within the first couple of weeks. Change in firmness and texture builds across the course and for some weeks after the final session. Individual results vary.

Does Sunekos hurt? It is among the more comfortable injectable treatments we offer. Numbing cream is applied beforehand and the injections are shallow and quick. Most people find it manageable, though comfort varies.

Is there downtime after Sunekos? Usually minimal. You will have small bumps and redness at the injection points, typically settling within a few hours and generally gone by the next day. Bruising is possible, especially around the eyes. We would not book you the morning before a wedding, but most people carry on with their day.

What are the side effects of Sunekos? Commonly: bumps at injection points, redness, mild swelling, tenderness and bruising. Less commonly: palpable lumps, darkening at injection sites, cold sore reactivation, persistent swelling, and infection. Rarely, vascular occlusion.

Does Sunekos work for under-eye dark circles? It may help where the darkness is driven by thin, crepey skin letting underlying tissue show through, because it is aimed at the quality of that skin. It will not change darkness caused by pigment or by the bony contour beneath, and most people have a combination of causes. Assessing which is dominant for you is part of the consultation.
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Sunekos or Profhilo? Both use hyaluronic acid that is not chemically crosslinked and are aimed at skin quality rather than volume. Sunekos also delivers amino acids and is placed across the whole treatment area in many shallow points; Profhilo works mainly through hydration and bio-remodelling from a small number of intradermal deposits. Which is more appropriate depends on your skin and the area, and is a consultation question.

Sunekos or Rejuran? Sunekos delivers amino acids and hyaluronic acid, aimed at skin quality and collagen support. Rejuran uses polynucleotides, aimed at repair at a cellular level. They are complementary rather than competing, and we sometimes run them in sequence.

Can I combine Sunekos with other treatments? Often, yes. Sunekos can generally be planned alongside anti-wrinkle injectables, dermal filler, Sculptra, Profhilo Structura and skin needling. We sequence them deliberately, usually spacing Sunekos and needling two weeks apart.

Book a Consultation

If your concern is the condition of your skin rather than its shape, Sunekos is one of the options worth discussing, including for the delicate skin around the eyes.

Start with a free consultation. We will assess your skin, tell you honestly whether Sunekos is likely to help with what is bothering you, and plan from there.
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Sunekos containing hyaluronic acid and amino acids is a class III medical device that modifies the structure of mature skin, restoring volume, filling wrinkles and folds in the skin and in scar sites. Sunekos has risks and benefits. Sunekos should not be used on patients: with known hypersensitivity to any of its components; presenting with a general infection, inflammation or irritation in the area to be treated; or in patients predisposed to coagulation disorders. A local reaction. may rarely occur, caused by hypersensitisation phenomena, with symptoms that include oedema and sensation of burning and/or itching. These reactions normally resolve in two days. Consult your healthcare professional to see if Sunekos is right for you. For more information refer to the indsutrctions for use. New Zealand Sponsor: AA-Med Pty Ltd Distributed by: Xytide Biotech NZ Pty LTD