Wrinkles are a natural side effect of the aging process. Over time, the collagen in your skin breaks down. Your facial skin loses its natural resiliency as a result. Do you have fine lines or deep creases around your eyes, on your forehead or on the sides of your mouth? You don’t have to live with them. Juvederm is a safe injectable filler that reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles by giving the skin a more plump, youthful appearance. Dr. Mimi Lee proudly offers Juvederm for those living in the area of Little Rock, AR.
How Does Juvederm Work?
Juvederm contains hyaluronic acid, which is a substance found naturally within the body’s connective tissues, so there is no risk of the body rejecting it. Juvederm remains under the skin’s surface until the body absorbs it. A Juvederm treatment lasts as long as a year.
Juvederm is an injectable dermal filler. When the collagen in the skin breaks down, it creates spaces within the skin. With less tissue supporting the skin, the skin’s surface begins to sink. That’s how wrinkles form. The dermal filler fills in the space resulting from the loss of collagen. It raises the surface of the skin and makes wrinkles appear less prominent. Juvederm also attracts and holds water. The water adds further volume to the skin and gives the skin a more vital, youthful appearance.
What Is the Juvederm Treatment Like?
Your preparation for Juvederm begins about a week before the treatment. During the week leading up to the treatment, you should use only acetaminophen for aches and pains. Other pain medications may worsen bruising after the procedure. Taking arnica montana in advance of the procedure may also help to lessen bruising. You can buy arnica montana from most health food stores.
If you become ill before the scheduled date of your Juvederm treatment, contact Dr. Lee. If you have a fever or cough, it could complicate the treatment by increasing the chance of infection. You should reschedule the treatment for another date.
A Juvederm treatment takes about one hour to complete. During the treatment, Dr. Lee will use a syringe to inject the Juvederm into your skin. She will apply a topical anesthetic to prevent the syringe from causing pain. You may feel slight pressure, however, as the liquid enters your skin.
After the injection, you may experience slight pain, bruising or swelling around the injection site. Wait a few days for the side effects to subside before evaluating your level of satisfaction with the treatment.
These tips can help you manage mild discomfort after the Juvederm injection:
- If you notice any bumps, massage them gently to disperse the liquid. Lumpiness is a common side effect after receiving filler injections. Ask Dr. Lee for advice if the lumps don’t lessen after a few days.
- If you experience swelling or bruising, treat it with a cold pack for 20 minutes at a time. You can safely use a cold pack several times per day to reduce swelling. If you use a cold pack immediately following the procedure, cover the cold pack with a towel to prevent frostbite. Because Dr. Lee will use an anesthetic cream before injecting Juvederm, you may not feel it if your skin is dangerously cold.
- If you experience pain, you can treat it with over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen. Avoid medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin; they could worsen bruising.
- If you experience itching, treat it with an over-the-counter itch medication such as diphenhydramine.
It is important that you approach your Juvederm treatment with realistic expectations. A dermal filler isn’t a wrinkle eraser, it is a wrinkle reducer. Juvederm can, however, make your skin appear significantly more youthful. If you aren’t happy with the results of the treatment, feel free to contact Dr. Lee. In some cases, it may be necessary to inject additional filler to achieve the ideal result.
The body will absorb Juvederm over several months. To maintain the appearance of your face, you’ll need to receive injections once or twice per year. The fact that Juvederm only remains in the skin temporarily also means that there’s no need to worry if you’re unhappy with the filler’s effect on your face. After only a few months, your face will return to its original state.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Juvederm?
Most people are good candidates for Juvederm. Since hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found within the body, most people tolerate the injection well and experience few or no side effects. If you are not pregnant or nursing, are not allergic to any of the ingredients in Juvederm and have no facial infections, you are probably a good candidate for Juvederm. Tell Dr. Lee about any allergies you may have and any medications you are taking.
What Types of Wrinkles Does Juvederm Treat Most Effectively?
Juvederm can dramatically reduce the appearance of most types of facial wrinkles, but it works especially well on the permanent wrinkles resulting from loss of collagen. If you have transient wrinkles that appear primarily when you move your facial muscles, Juvederm can reduce those wrinkles — but Botox may be a better option. During your consultation, Dr. Lee will examine your face and recommend the most appropriate wrinkle reduction treatment.
Some of the most popular sites of Juvederm injection include:
- Nasolabial folds (laugh lines)
- Crow’s feet
- Marionette lines
- And more!
Juvederm is very effective in treating wrinkles that originate deep within the skin. Because injections with different sizes of hyaluronic acid particles are available, Dr. Lee can adjust the injection to compensate for different types of wrinkles and give your skin the most natural, youthful appearance possible.
How Do Juvederm and Botox Compare?
Juvederm and Botox are two of the most common injectable treatments for wrinkles. Because they treat wrinkles in different ways, the results that you get from them will vary depending on the types of wrinkles that you have. In some cases, Dr. Lee may recommend a combination of both treatments for facial wrinkles.
What Is Botox?
Botox contains botulinum toxin — the same toxin produced by the bacteria that causes botulism. Botox doesn’t cause botulism, though, because it contains no living bacteria. During the treatment, Dr. Lee will inject Botox directly into the muscles of your face. Botox temporarily paralyzes the treated muscles. The muscles will regain movement within about six months or less.
What Types of Wrinkles Does Botox Treat?
While Juvederm can treat most types of facial wrinkles, it produces the most dramatic results on wrinkles resulting from loss of collagen in the skin. Botox, on the other hand, works best on wrinkles that appear when you move specific facial muscles. If lines appear at the edges of your eyes when you smile, Botox may be the best treatment option for your wrinkles. Botox also works well if wrinkles appear when you furrow your brow.
Cost of Treatment
A Botox treatment typically costs less than a Juvederm treatment. There are many variables, though, that can affect price, such as the number of injection sites and the amount of Juvederm or Botox that Dr. Lee uses. Also, while Juvederm tends to cost more than Botox, the treatment also lasts longer before its effects start to fade. Juvederm may last up to twice as long as Botox. Insurance doesn’t affect the price of Juvederm or Botox treatment because most health insurance carriers do not cover cosmetic procedures.
Limitations of Botox
While Juvederm can treat most types of wrinkles, Botox only works if a wrinkle becomes evident when you move a facial muscle. Since Botox immobilizes the muscle, the muscle can’t make the movement that causes the wrinkle. Botox doesn’t treat static wrinkles that are apparent even when you don’t move your face. Botox also doesn’t add volume to the skin, so it isn’t an appropriate choice for adding fullness to the lips, cheeks or jawline.
What About Restylane?
Juvederm isn’t the only facial filler containing hyaluronic acid. Restylane is another popular option. The two fillers have slightly different textures. Some doctors feel that because Juvederm has a smoother texture, it is better for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Because Restylane is thicker and more easily molded, it may be the better choice for adding volume to some areas of the face. There are multiple Juvederm and Restylane products, and some products are better for certain applications than others. Dr. Lee will recommend the best filler to you depending on the results that you want to achieve.