Juvederm® is a dermal filler used to soften fine lines, wrinkles and other marks of aging, especially in areas around the mouth, lips and cheeks. It’s made mostly of hyaluronic acid, a natural chemical that hydrates the skin. It’s found in all living beings, but a person’s stores of hyaluronic acid decrease with age. This is one of the reasons that wrinkles form. Juvederm® is injected beneath the skin with a fine needle by a dermatologist or qualified aesthetician.
Types of Juvederm®
There are several types of this hyaluronic acid based filler. Juvederm® Voluma XC adds volume to cheeks that you might find flat or sunken. Voluma XC and Juvederm® XC soften the look of smile lines, while Ultra XC and Volbella XC are injected into lips to plump them out. The XC in the names means that the filler is cross-linked and contains lidocaine.
The Consultation
Before you have Juvederm® injections, you’ll have a consultation with the skin care specialist. Sometimes, you can have the treatment done on the same day as your consultation. If you schedule it a few weeks in advance, the skin care specialist might tell you to temporarily stop medications or supplements that act as anticoagulants. They’ll also tell you to stop smoking and give up alcohol, which can slow down healing from the treatment and lead to unnecessary bruising.
The Treatment
During the treatment, you’ll sit in a treatment chair, and the nurse or aesthetician will mark the areas you want treated. Then, the specialist injects the filler into those areas. They’ll massage the injection sites gently to make sure that the hyaluronic acid is distributed evenly. The massage also keeps swelling down.
A session lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. The new forms of Juvederm® have lidocaine mixed in with hyaluronic acid, which greatly reduces any discomfort you might feel.
After the Treatment
There’s not much downtime after a treatment session, and you can go back home or even back to work immediately after you leave our practice. However, it’s ideal if you go home, and rest for a day or two. If you have swelling or bruising, it can be treated with an ice pack.
Patients love Juvederm® because it’s long lasting, and in some cases, it only takes one session to see results. The good news is that you can return to your skin care specialist for touch-up treatments.
Visit Us for More Information
If you dislike the signs of aging on your face such as smile lines or you want more volume in your cheeks or lips, feel free to visit us at New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center. We are conveniently located in Weymouth, MA. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!