If you’ve noticed fine lines on your face and you’d rather not have them (we get it!), you may have researched possible treatments. Enter dermal fillers, which have seen a huge surge in popularity in recent years (the global dermal fillers market was valued at $2.84 billion in 2020).
One such dermal filler is Juvéderm — a facial filler that plumps up the skin to remove wrinkles. Read on and we’ll explain everything you need to know about Juvéderm so you can decide if it’s the right treatment for you.
In this article:
- What is Juvéderm?
- What does Juvéderm do?
- What are the different types of Juvéderm?
- What happens during a Juvéderm treatment?
- How much does Juvéderm cost? Plus other things you need to know
- Juvéderm vs. other injectables – what’s the difference?
- Top tips
- FAQs
What Is Juvéderm?
Juvéderm is a cosmetic facial filler that plumps the skin to reduce signs of aging. It’s an injectable filler that focuses on the face — including cheeks, around the mouth and lips. Juvéderm reduces the appearance of wrinkles and restores facial contours, as well as being commonly used to plump up lips. It’s made from a base of hyaluronic acid, which helps to temporarily restore the skin’s support structure.
Dr. Kathryn J. Russell, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Woodruff Institute in southwestern Florida, explains that “Juvéderm is a non-animal, cross-linked, hyaluronic-acid-based filler that works by restoring volume to the face” and that “it’s used to literally fill [the face’s] folds and creases.”
Find great deals for Juvederm near you.
What Does Juvéderm Do?
Juvéderm replicates hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in your body that adds lubrication to joints and a cushion-like effect to skin and tissues. When injected into the skin, Juvéderm helps restore skin support structure and smooths out wrinkles. According to Dr. Russell: “it works best to treat the wrinkles and lines of the ‘resting face.'”
The most common Juvéderm treatment areas include:
- Cheeks – The treatment adds volume to your cheeks, resulting in a youthful appearance.
- Smile lines – It softens nasolabial folds, which are known as smile or laugh lines. These skin folds are on the side of your nose and corner of your mouth.
- Lips – Juvéderm helps to smooth vertical lip lines around the mouth, reducing signs of aging. It also works to plump the lips.
What Are the Different Types of Juvéderm?
There are different types of Juvéderm to choose from, depending on which problem area you’d like to treat.
Reading about all these different treatments may leave your head spinning, but Dr. Russell notes that the main difference is in their hyaluronic-acid concentrations, the way the hyaluronic acid is cross-linked, and their viscosities (how thick or sticky they are).
Juvéderm Ultra XC
This treatment can be focused on either the lips or smile/laugh lines. It works towards plumping the lips — after Juvéderm lip injections you can expect your lips to appear bigger. It could also soften nasolabial folds and is recommended to treat moderate to severe cases. The effects of Juvéderm Ultra XC could last up to a year.
Juvéderm Volbella XC
Whereas Juvéderm Ultra XC is recommended for bigger lips, Juvéderm Volbella XC is the choice for a more subtle lip enhancement. It subtly plumps the lips while working to smooth vertical lines around the mouth. The benefits of a Juvéderm Volbella XC treatment are also expected to last up to a year.
Juvéderm Voluma XC
Juvéderm Voluma XC features a deep injection to plump the cheeks. It enhances the size of your cheeks by adding volume underneath the surface of the skin. The treatment may benefit your skin at any age, but it’s typically recommended for adults aged 35 and older. The older you are, the higher amount of Juvéderm Voluma XC you may require to achieve desired results. If your skin is severely damaged, the treatment may need to be combined with other procedures to achieve your cosmetic goal.
Juvéderm XC
Juvéderm XC is the original Juvéderm treatment, approved by the FDA in 2006. It focuses on softening moderate to severe nasolabial folds and the benefits are expected to last up to a year.
Juvéderm Vollure XC
In comparison to Juvéderm XC, Juvéderm Vollure XC is the newest Juvéderm treatment to enter the market. It also focuses on softening moderate to severe nasolabial folds, but its benefits can last for up to 18 months, making it one of the longest-lasting wrinkle-smoothing Juvéderms.
What Happens During a Juvéderm Treatment?
Still feeling a little nervous? It might help if we explain everything you can expect from your Juvéderm treatment:
What to expect from my first Juvéderm filler?
After your first Juvéderm filler, you may be able to see results the same day. Some swelling is common, but it should subside within a week. Remember that hyaluronic acid attracts water, so you may experience extra fullness in the areas injected. These results soften up to two weeks after your session to reveal the treatment’s true effects.
Worried about the pain? Your Juvéderm injection is a smooth gel applied with thin needles, so it shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable. The injection also contains a small amount of lidocaine which may reduce some of the pain and discomfort.
Before
Talk to your practitioner before your treatment to outline your expectations and cosmetic goals. This is a good time to let them know if you have any allergies or sensitivities. Avoid taking any blood thinning medication a week before your session to reduce the risk of bruising. It’s also common to be asked to avoid medication including aspirin or ibuprofen, as well as alcohol and smoking.
During
- At the start of the treatment, your practitioner will mark your face where the injection will enter using a pen.
- A numbing cream may be applied to the treatment areas.
- Juvéderm will then be injected.
- Your practitioner will gently massage the treatment area to make sure that the Juvéderm is distributed equally. This may help to reduce any swelling.
After
After your Juvéderm treatment, your recovery time should be fairly minimal, but it’s commonly advised to avoid make-up, alcohol, sun-exposure and strenuous activity for 24 hours after your session. Try not to touch your face after your treatment to avoid irritation.
It’s advised to wait at least a week after the treatment to assess your results, for bruising and extra fullness to subside.
How fast does Juvéderm work?
The treatment process will usually take between 15 and 60 minutes from start to finish, but it varies depending on which area you’re treating. Usually, you can see results that same day. There may be some swelling, which can cause the area to look fuller at first, but that swelling should resolve itself within a week — hopefully to reveal plumper lips, or more youthful-looking skin.
How long does Juvéderm last?
The lasting benefits of a Juvéderm procedure can vary from person-to-person, based on your original skin condition, the type of treatment and the area of the face you had treated. Most treatments should provide results lasting from six months to two years. It’s possible to receive multiple Juvéderm procedures in the same day if you have multiple areas to be treated.
How Much Does Juvéderm Cost? Plus Other Things You Need to Know
How much does Juvéderm cost?
The price of a Juvéderm treatment varies depending on the type of procedure, the treatment area and the experience of the practitioner. Typically, a Juvéderm treatment will cost about $450–$600 per syringe. However, with Groupon you may be able to find a local Juvéderm treatment for under $400.
How much Juvéderm do I need?
Typically, patients need between one and two syringes in a particular area, but some patients require as many as four. During your consultation your practitioner should inform you on how many syringes you need. The number of recommended treatments varies based on your age, the depth of wrinkles and desired outcome.
How often can I get Juvéderm?
If you have more than one skin concern, you may be able to have multiple treatments in one day. With multiple treatments, Dr. Russell prefers to treat the cheeks first to restore the facial structure before moving on to the lower face and lips.
What are the side effects of Juvéderm injections?
As with any cosmetic procedure, there can be some side effects from Juvéderm. You may experience slight redness, swelling and tenderness, itching, bruising and dryness.
Juvéderm vs. Other Injectables – What’s the Difference?
The main difference between Juvéderm and other types of injectables is that each is designed to treat different signs of aging. When deciding between treatments, consider when you notice your lines and wrinkles. Some lines and creases are noticeable when we’re sitting still, perhaps reading a book or watching TV. Others become apparent when the face is in motion, like when we’re talking and laughing.
Derma fillers, like Juvéderm, are used for wrinkles that appear when your face is at rest, whereas Botox and Dysport should be used to tackle lines and wrinkles that are visible when the face is in motion.
There are alternatives to Juvéderm, including hyaluronic-acid fillers such as Restylane; Restylane Silk; Restylane Lyft; Restylane Refyne, and Restylane Defyne, or non-hyaluronic-acid fillers such as Radiesse and Scultpura. However, Dr. Russell explains that Juvéderm treatments are chosen due to Juvéderm’s quality: “Juvéderm products have a great safety profile and provide reliable results.”
Top Tips
- Book a consultation with your practitioner – Do this before your treatment to determine which type of filler is best for your cosmetic goals.
- Make a note of your allergies – You should avoid Juvéderm if you have a history of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions), or if you know you’re allergic to lidocaine or gram-positive bacterial proteins.
- Not pleased with the outcome? – If you’re unhappy with the results of your treatment, you can have your filler dissolved with hyaluronidase enzyme.
FAQs
Which Juvéderm is best for lips?
If your cosmetic goal is to enhance the appearance of your lips, you could consider Juvéderm Ultra XC for a dramatic lip enhancement or Juvéderm Volbella XC for subtly bigger lips.
How long does it take Juvéderm lips to settle?
Juvéderm recovery time varies patient to patient. You may see an improvement the same day, but it could take up to a week for the swelling to settle to see the true results.
Which Juvéderm filler lasts the longest?
Juvéderm Vollure XC. It aims to treat moderate to severe nasolabial folds and the benefits can last up to 18 months. This makes it the longest-lasting wrinkle-smoothing Juvéderm treatment.
What’s better: Juvéderm or Botox?
Juvéderm is said to have longer-lasting results and is used for treating lines and wrinkles visible in a resting face, whereas Botox is used for treating lines and wrinkles that appear in motion.
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Interested in trying this treatment? Find great deals for Juvéderm near you.
*Note: We are not a health-care provider and this is not intended as medical advice — please consult with your doctor before making any medical decisions.
