<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-10-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001269871</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PHYSICIANS FORMULA HOLDINGS, INC.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>face</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227675</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BREAZZANO DAVID J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O DDJ CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>130 TURNER STREET, BUILDING 3, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALTHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02453</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-10-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>90000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.74</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>789010</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Indirect ownership in securities held by DDJ/Ontario Credit Opportunities Fund, L.P.  Unable to determine exact pecuniary interest and disclaims any beneficial interest in excess of pecuniary.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Membership interest through DDJ Capital Management, LLC (DDJ) and its affiliates.  DDJ serves as investment manager, and accordingly, has voting and investment power in securities held by DDJ/Ontario Credit Opportunities Fund, L.P.  DDJ also serves as investment manager, and accordingly, has voting and investment power, but no pecuniary interest, in securities held by an account managed by DDJ on behalf of an institutional investor.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/David J. Breazzano</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
