What Is Juvéderm™ Injectable Gel?
Juvéderm™ injectable gel is a “next-generation” dermal filler, it is made from hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps to hydrate and add volume. Hyaluronic Acid is comprised of all living cells and occurs naturally in the body, thus eliminating the need for skin allergy tests prior to injection. It is a sugar molecule that attracts and binds water, hydrating the skin where it is injected and increasing volume.
Juvéderm™ has three major benefits:
- It is obtained by biosynthesis.
- It is of non-animal origin and the molecule is highly biocompatible.
- It does not require any prior testing.
How Juvéderm™ Works
In a totally natural, but not definitive way, Juvéderm™ will restore the sensuality of your lips and smooth curves to your face. Through a simple injection, without a prior test, minor imperfections and signs of ageing are softened very evenly. Juvéderm™ injectable gel is used most effectively for those wrinkles and folds in the lower third of your face, like your “laugh lines”, “smile lines” or “parentheses” (nasolabial folds), or “marionette lines” (oral commissures).
What to Expect During Juvéderm™ Treatment
Because Juvéderm™ injectable gel is a simple, nonsurgical treatment, there is minimal recovery or downtime.
Before the Procedure: One week prior to your procedure you should avoid taking high doses of Vitamin E supplements, aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen. These agents may increase bruising and bleeding at the injection site. Although anesthesia is not required, your healthcare professional may use topical or injectable anesthesia to numb the treatment area first.
The procedure: Your Healthcare professional will ease the Juvéderm™ injectable gel under your skin to augment, or fill, wrinkles and folds. Following the injection, your healthcare professional may gently massage the treated areas. The procedure is quick and easy. The injection itself usually takes only about 15 minutes.
After the procedure: With Juvéderm™ there is minimal recovery or downtime. For the first 24 hours following treatment, you should avoid strenuous exercise, excessive sun or heat exposure, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in order to help minimize the risks of temporary redness, swelling, and/or itching at the treatment sites. After the treatment, some temporary injection-related reactions may occur, including redness, pain, firmness, swelling, and bumps. Studies have shown that these are usually mild to moderate in nature and clear up on their own in 7 days or less. If you experience swelling at the injection site, you can apply an ice pack for a brief period.
Seeing results: You should see an immediate improvement in the treatment areas. Most patients need one treatment to achieve optimal wrinkle smoothing, and the results last between nine to eighteen months, depending on the area treated and type of Juvéderm™ used. However, results may vary and correction is temporary. Supplemental “touch up” treatments may be required to achieve and maintain optimal results.
