Juvederm belongs to a class of cosmetic treatments called injectable fillers. These are gel-like substances that are injected into the skin, often to smooth out wrinkles. They differ from Botox in that the latter is biologically active but has hardly any physical substance to it. Juvederm is made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring skin polymer, which, along with collage and elastin, makes up the majority of the dry weight of the deep part of the skin, or dermis. The hyaluronic acid is grown in bacteria then made into a solid gel. The gel is cut into microscopic pieces that are small enough to inject into the skin.

The two main uses of Juvederm are for deep wrinkles, such as the nasolabial folds, and for lip augmentation. The substance is injected along the line of the wrinkle, trying to elevate it and create a smooth transition from the cheek to the upper lip skin. This process can be used in other areas as well, such as deep lines on either side of the chin, the marionette lines. The most popular use for Juvederm is lip augmentation. Lips can be made to look fuller, more pouty, and better-defined. It is very important to not over-inject, as an obvious augmentation may make the lips appear “fake.”

Local anesthetic is very important to make Juvederm injections comfortable. For the lips, it is possible to do a nerve block that will make the procedure very comfortable. In areas where no specific nerve block is available, topic anesthetic gel is applied for at least 30 minutes.

Juvederm lasts approximately 8 - 12 months, but could last less or more time depending on how active the area of the face is and whether the person massages the area frequently. It is by no means a permanent injectable filler. The advantage of this is that it is forgiving and even unsatisfactory results are not permanent. Also, as skin ages and changes position, sites of injection may need to be altered to enhance appearance. Radiesse is a longer-lasting dermal filler that can be used in place of Juvederm for wrinkles and lines but not for lip augmentation.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about this post.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 7:01 am and is filed under Injectable Fillers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.