Gold Protocol Treatment: How Combining Botox®, Radiesse®, NCTF®, and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Filler Can Lift, Restore Volume, Smooth Texture, and More.

Once in a long while, a new innovation in aesthetics comes along that changes the industry. Dr. Dusan Sajic is the pioneer and visionary behind the Gold Protocol, a non-surgical cosmetic treatment that was first described in a paper on neck rejuvenation co-authored by Dr. Sajic. If you’ve worked with an experienced dermatologist for cosmetic injections, you know the difference even just one appointment can make; smoothing wrinkles, restoring moisture, and addressing visible signs of aging at the root cause. But each injectable treatment has its own set purpose, and is designed to meet a specific need. So when you’re looking to combat multiple concerns with one treatment, our skilled experts can combine different treatments to optimize your results. Think of it like an injectable version of the multitasking you do every day; a four-in-one solution to lift, smooth texture, replenish moisture, and boost collagen. Combination treatments work in synergy to take your results to the next level.

With Gold Protocol treatment, we combine the natural results of biostimulatory and HA filler, and the smoothing effects of topical neuromodulators with a vitamin/amino acid boost, in a single syringe. A single session does the work of several procedures to magnify the effects of any single treatment.

Gold Protocol treatment combines Botox^®, Radiesse^®, NCTF^® and hyaluronic acid (HA) filler for more comprehensive rejuvenation.

When treating a complex areas like the neck, one injectable treatment is typically insufficient in responding to concerns like laxity, loose skin, and uneven skin. The Gold Protocol’s combination approach improves efficacy and satisfaction by addressing multiple needs in one treatment session. This technique addresses multiple layers of skin in one treatment:

Calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) triggers collagen production for skin revitalization that continues long after treatment

Botulinum toxin injections relax overactive neck bands (platysma muscle) to smooth neck lines and vertical bands

Hyaluronic acid (HA) restores moisture deep beneath the surface and and smooths fine lines

Gold Protocol treatment combines four transformative non-invasive treatments to simultaneously address three of the four key parameters of skin quality. You can expect noticeable, robust results as these treatments work in tandem to refresh your appearance. Learn more about Dr. Sajic’s 5 Dimension Skin Plan™, a science-based framework that’s available exclusively at derMA.

Benefits of Gold Protocol treatment:

Gold Protocol technique can boost collagen and elastin, and has been shown to replenish lost moisture deep beneath the surface, smooth texture and wrinkles, even skin, address pigmentation, and contour the face and neck for radiant results. 

• Visible tightening: Research demonstrates that 93.3% of patients experienced at least one-grade improvement in neck skin flaccidity after just a single Gold Protocol treatment session.
• Remarkable collagen synthesis and stimulation: This study co-authored by Dr. Sajic demonstrates how the combination of HA and CaHA stimulates collagen synthesis through different molecular pathways, accelerating collagen and elastin production and providing a supportive scaffolding for a more youthful, vibrant appearance.
• Noticeable lifting: These effects become visible within 15 days following treatment (a result of Botox® and HA injections)
• Fast, safe treatment: Gold Protocol presents only minor, self-resolving adverse effects and has an excellent safety profile. 
• Smoother skin and continual improvements in laxity: progressive improvements in skin quality and horizontal lines continue 120 days as the collagen-building effects of CaHA reach their peak at 3-4 months and continue to lift and tighten.

“For those seeking a more noticeable and comprehensive rejuvenation, we often use what’s now being referred to as the ‘Gold Protocol’: a single-syringe combination that includes microbotox, Radiesse and hyaluronic acid filler. This approach simultaneously addresses three of four key parameters of skin quality much more noticeably and robustly.”

-Dusan Sajic, MD, the visionary behind Gold Protocol treatment

1. Botox^® tightens, smooths, and addresses the hallmarks of visible aging

The neuromodulator injections used in the Gold Protocol are strategically deposited above the muscle; effectively tightening the skin and providing a smoothing effect. As we get older, our skin naturally loses collagen and elastin, two of the hallmarks of vibrant, full, youthful-looking skin, and becomes more prone to signs of aging. At deRMA Skin Institute, our board-certified dermatologists use a precise Botox technique to create subtle, natural-looking improvements in skin quality and texture, without affecting the deeper muscles responsible for major facial expressions.

Botox can effectively:

• Reduces oil and sweat production 
• Minimizes pore size 
• Softens fine lines 
• Reduces redness 
• Subtly tightens skin

How does micro Botox work?

Neuromodulators like Botox®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® work by pausing signals to the targeted area helping to relax the treated region. When applied to muscle movement, neuromodulators ease repetitive movement that can etch fine lines and creases over time. Micro Botox works by placing highly diluted, micro-droplet deposits of neuromodulator just beneath the skin’s surface, rather than into the underlying facial muscles with traditional Botox. 

This ultra-superficial placement subtly relaxes the tiny muscle fibres and nerve signals that influence surface texture. Micro Botox works closer to the skin’s surface, refining how the skin contracts, flushes, and produces oil. This gentle recalibration smooths fine lines, minimizes pore visibility, regulates excess shine, and helps calm redness. The result is a balanced complexion with softened fine lines and tighter-looking pores, all while maintaining full facial expression. Micro Botox elevates skin quality through precision, not paralysis, offering a modern, science-driven approach to complexion refinement.

2. Radiesse^® lifts and restores lost volume and moisture

As we get older, it’s natural to notice more laxity and a natural decline in skin quality; especially around the nose, eyes and mouth. The Radiesse used in Gold Protocol is effectively diluted by the hyaluronic acid (HA) and the HA in the New Cellular Treatment Factor (NCTF) to allow for smooth blending. The function of Radiesse in this protocol is to add collagen support, not create structure like traditional filler. 

What is Radiesse^® made of?

Radiesse harnesses the natural rebuilding properties of your own body. It’s made with tiny, smooth calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in an injectable solution; different from the hyaluronic acid (HA) found in many other dermal fillers. This stimulates the production of your own structural elements, like collagen and elastin, and improves subtle skin quality, elasticity, and firmness over time, without adding significant volume like traditional fillers. 

CaHA is a naturally occurring substance in your body, composed of phosphate and calcium ions that absorb gradually after treatment. While results are visible immediately, the treatment continues to stimulate collagen production in the weeks following your appointment. As the CaHA is absorbed back into the body, collagen takes its place. Results tend to appear longer than traditional dermal fillers because of your own endogenous collagen and elastin production. While HA filler can introduce immediate volume and hydration, Radiesse provides ongoing, long-term systemic improvement.

3. Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers restore lost moisture and bring back volume

Dermal fillers with HA can provide structure and shape to the face and restore natural-looking full lips and cheeks. In the same way that collagen and elastin decline with age, our skin also gets drier, loses volume, and might not keep that natural youthful glow we might have had in our 20s. While Radiesse stimulates collagen and elastin production, suspending it in a nourishing HA solution allows us to combine the transformative effects of these two treatments.

What is hyaluronic acid (HA)?

HA is an active ingredient in many injectable dermal fillers and already exists naturally in your body. HA molecules help your skin tissues stay hydrated, nourished, and plump for a healthy complexion and a youthful glow. These molecules can hold nearly 1,000 times their weight in water, so when they naturally decline, the effects show up on our faces; skin looks more dry, dull, and deflated as a result. Our bodies begin losing about 1 millilitre of HA every year when we’re in our early 30s. 

Did you know?

Our skin begins to lose 1.0-1.5% elasticity as we naturally age and we see shifts in facial structure as bone, fat, elastin, and collagen diminish under the skin. Dermal fillers help restore collagen and moisture to refresh a dry, dull complexion. 

What do HA dermal fillers treat?

Dermal fillers can address concerns like lost volume, dullness, and dry skin. HA fillers are ideal for: 

• Restores fullness to under-eye hollows
• Smoothes wrinkles
• Adds natural-looking fullness to thinning lips
• Refreshes a vibrant quality for crepey or thinning skin
• Fills visible or depressed scars
• Smoothes nasolabial folds (smile lines), marionette lines, temples, and more. 
• Defines and contouring the face for more definition 

4. NCTF^® infuses the skin with a powerful, bio-regenerative cocktail of 60 essential vitamins, amino acids, and minerals.

NCTF plays a key role by enriching the skin with a rich blend of bioactive compounds; supporting cellular regeneration, enhancing dermal quality, and improving overall resilience. Within the Gold Protocol, NCTF amplifies hydration, boosts radiance, and strengthens the skin’s foundational health, making the combined treatment more comprehensive and long-lasting.

What is NCTF?

NCTF, short for New Cellular Treatment Factor, is a nutrient-rich dermal solution developed to elevate skin quality by enhancing the biological environment in which cells function. NCTF is a solution that can be added to most treatments to help improve healing and reduce recovery time by providing readily available building blocks for healthy skin repair.

What does NCTF treat?

Rather than acting as a filler, NCTF reinvigorates the skin’s natural processes

• Increases hydration
• Enhances moisture retention
• Refines texture
• Strengthens overall dermal health

We’re trusted for our legacy of beautiful, natural-looking injectable results.

The difference between looking “done” and looking naturally radiant is in choosing the right injector. With more than two decades of experience, we regularly see patients from Guelph, Burlington, Cambridge, Kitchener, Hamilton, Milton, and surrounding areas who come to us for results that look subtle, are customized to your unique beauty, and offer a lasting change. If you’re looking for a transformation while still looking like you, we offer results that support your natural beauty. We’ll create a bespoke injectable plan that’s designed to meet your needs and elevate your appearance. Call (888) 803-3762 or request a consultation today to start your treatment journey.