Juvéderm

Juvéderm: A Hyaluronic Acid Skin Injection Treatment

Have you noticed that the skin on your face doesn’t quite look like it used to? Does your facial skin have wrinkles and fine lines? Has your face lost its youthful volume and fullness? If your face has been experiencing the unwanted effects of time and age, then dermal fillers like Juvéderm can help take years off of your face!

What is Juvéderm?

Juvéderm is an injectable dermal filler composed of a smooth hyaluronic acid gel, capable of non-surgically restoring lost facial volume and visibly reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on the face. For wrinkles and fine lines, Juvéderm typically works best on those that appear around the mouth (“smile lines”) and around the nose.

Juvéderm is a temporary procedure, with results typically lasting between four and nine months, and for some patients, results can last up to a year.

What is Hyaluronic Acid and why is it effective?

Hyaluronic acid is a molecular substance that naturally already exists in the human body. It is technically a type of carbohydrate polymer that is found within the cells of the muscles, skins, and tendons of humans and other mammals. Specifically, hyaluronic acid is a crucial, main part of the extra cellular matrix of cells found in the human body, especially in the dermis, which is the dense, inner layer of skin that exists directly underneath the top layer of skin (the epidermis).

Hyaluronic acid acts kind of like a sponge- its chief purpose is to bind with water molecules, effectively “absorbing” and retaining water. This innate nature of hyaluronic acid is what gives younger people a youthful, hydrated, full look about their faces. As people get older, the amount of hyaluronic acid in skin and tissue naturally gets depleted from the face- due to the effects of time, aging, and environmental factors- catalyzing the formation of wrinkles and fine lines as well as creating a thinner, more gaunt look about the face.

What to expect during a Juvéderm procedure

The cosmetic surgeon will inject Juvéderm into predetermined injection sites on the face. Although patients report that Juvéderm injections feel like mild pinpricks that are relatively painless and require no anesthesia, some patients may need to have a numbing anesthetic cream to the treatment areas in order to minimize pain during the Juvéderm treatment.

Juvéderm procedures are relatively quick, usually taking about fifteen to thirty minutes to complete. The results from Juvéderm are virtually instantaneous.

What to expect during Juvéderm recovery

Recovery from Juvéderm is very minimal and quick, patients will make a full recovery within 24 hours. Patients should refrain from consuming alcohol, participating in strenuous exercise, or being out in the sun for an excessive amount of time.

It is typical for patients to experience slight redness or swelling on and around the injection sites which should dissipate within a few days. Some itching sensations may be experienced by some patients. Patients should place an ice pack on treatment sites to reduce swelling.

Patients should consult their cosmetic surgeons as to when they can resume applying makeup and other facial products.

People who are considering Juvéderm or other dermal fillers to treat their loss of facial volume and the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines should contact our office at 203-652-8277 for a free consultation.

Sharon J. Littzi’s Juvéderm Tips – Filling Hollow Temples

Have you ever noticed how our faces change in photographs as we age? In our youth, the face is typically rounder, fuller and has the tissue volume we associate with youth. As we age, the face loses fat and tissue volume, and tends to look thinner, more angular and more gaunt, especially in people who are athletic, lean or have low body fat percentages. Also, as we age we don’t just lose volume, but the skin overlying the fat and tissue loses elasticity and sags. This can create accentuated cheekbones and hollowness in the temples and in front of the ears.

Fortunately, this problem is quickly and easily treated using a hyaluronic acid filler like Juvéderm. Numbing is not usually necessary prior to this treatment, as there is minimal discomfort associated with it. Fillers like Juvéderm XC, which has the anesthetic Lidocaine formulated right in it, can add an additional measure of comfort.

To fill the hollow temples Juvéderm is placed deep in the tissue right atop the bone to avoid any issues with inadvertent injection into a blood vessel and to provide maximum lift and fill. This is especially important in this area because the temporal artery courses through this area. When placed deeply in this type of filler injection, the product pushes up the overlying tissue and nicely corrects the hollowness without any lumps or bumps. Oftentimes, the product is not even detectable visually and is not palpable.

Depending upon the amount of hollowness, it may often take one full syringe of product per temple for an adequate correction. However, sometimes the correction of temporal hollows is best done in stages, whereby you inject half a syringe per temple and wait a few days for any swelling or distortion to subside before deciding that more filler is needed. This way, there is less chance of “overcorrection”, or injecting too much product than is necessary.

Dr. Littzi can evaluate your unique facial anatomy and use her experience to give you the best results possible. Call 203-652-8277 today for a consultation; most patients can be treated with Botox or Juvéderm the same day. Be sure and join Allergan’s Brilliant Distinctions program; it is a rewards program where you can earn points for all your Botox and Juvéderm treatments, and you can use the points to generate money-saving coupons for future visits.