Juvederm

What is it?

Juvederm is a family of injectable fillers containing cross-linked hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule found naturally in the skin; cross-linking turns it into a gel that is used to give the tissue volume, support and contour.

The family includes products of different densities: more fluid forms for mobile, soft areas such as the lips, and denser forms for structural areas such as the cheekbones and chin. Which form is used is decided at the examination according to the area and the goal.

The most important feature of hyaluronic acid fillers is that they are reversible: a result that you do not like, or that turns out to be too much, can be dissolved with the enzyme hyaluronidase. This is a decisive difference both aesthetically and in terms of safety.

How does it work?

The gel is placed at the appropriate depth in the target area and gives volume as soon as it is placed; the result is visible the same day. In the first days the appearance may be slightly fuller than it really is because of swelling; this settles within a few days. Over time the gel is absorbed naturally by the body.

1. Assessment: the area, the goal and the suitable form are decided.
2. Treatment: the gel is placed with a technique suited to the area (needle or cannula).
3. Early period: the swelling goes down within a few days; the result is assessed after that.
4. Absorption: the gel is absorbed naturally over time; the need for repeat treatment varies from person to person.

Treatment Areas

• Lips — volume and contour
• Cheekbones — mid-face support
• Chin — projection
• Jawline — definition of the line
• Nasolabial and marionette lines
• Under the eyes — a separate form for this thin-skinned area (assessed separately)

Procedure Steps

1. Assessment

   Rather than applying a standard protocol to everyone, skin quality, signs of ageing, the treatment area and your expectations are assessed first. The aim is not to do more procedures but to apply the right protocol, to the right patient, in the right area. Facial proportions are considered as a whole; a decision is not made by looking at a single area.

2. Preparation

   The area is cleaned with antiseptic and a topical anaesthetic cream is applied. Most of the products contain a local anaesthetic.

3. Treatment

   The gel is placed with a technique suited to the area and in controlled amounts. The session takes about 20–30 minutes.

4. Review

   The result is assessed once the swelling has gone down; a small top-up is planned if needed.

Duration and Longevity

How long it lasts depends on the person's metabolism, the area treated and how mobile that area is; it is shorter in mobile areas such as the lips and longer in structural areas such as the cheekbones. No fixed duration is given in advance. The gel is absorbed naturally over time; the timing of a repeat treatment is agreed together at the review.

Who is it suitable for?

• Adults aiming for volume or contour in the lips, cheeks, chin or jawline
• People who want a natural, measured change
• People who prefer a reversible treatment
• People who want to see the result the same day

Who is it not suitable for?

• Pregnant and breastfeeding people
• People with an active infection, a cold sore (herpes) flare or an open wound in the treatment area
• People with a bleeding disorder, and people taking blood thinners without their physician's approval
• People with an uncontrolled autoimmune disease
• Under 18s
• People with a known allergy to hyaluronic acid or to local anaesthetics
• People who have a permanent filler in the treatment area (assessed separately)
• People expecting an exaggerated, unnatural change in their facial features

Aftercare

• Do not massage the area or wear make-up on it for the first 24 hours.
• Avoid saunas, steam rooms and strenuous exercise in the first days.
• On the day of treatment, avoid alcohol and any blood thinners your physician has not approved.
• Swelling and bruising go down within a few days; the result is assessed after this period.
• In case of increasing pain, blanching of the skin or a colour change, contact the clinic without waiting.

Possible Side Effects

• Temporary swelling, redness and tenderness at the injection site
• Bruising — goes down within a few days
• A small palpable irregularity or asymmetry; corrected if needed
• Rarely, infection or a late-onset reaction
• Rare but serious: filler entering a blood vessel. Because hyaluronic acid can be dissolved with hyaluronidase in this situation, there is room to intervene; an emergency protocol is kept ready at the clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions