Is Local Anesthesia Necessary for Juvederm Injections?

I was regularly doing a nerve block (dental block) for Juvederm, which really increases the comfort level for the patients. Since Juvederm released it's XC formulations, which contain lidocaine to instantly numb as it's injected, I find I'm doing the dental blocks less often. That said, every patient is different, and it also depends on where they are being injected and how much.

I often place topical anesthetic on a patient's face and this usually does the trick.  Juvederm also has lidocaine in it which eases the injection process.

The lips and perioral area have a tremendous sensory input for distinct functional reasons. I feel that Juvederm injection without local anesthesia is too much for most people. For this reason, I invariably use a nerve block (dental block), and oral commissure injections to insure patient comfort. A comfortable patient makes for an easier work environment for the surgeon.

No, it is not BUT in really helps in certain areas. Every one of us is different and we all have different abilities to tolerate pain. Personally, having been brought out in the Marine boot camp style of residency training, I do not feel that the Bite-and-grin or the no-pain-no-gain philosophy absolutely belongs in Cosmetic surgery IF there are better ways to alleviate pain. Anesthetic creams work in most people - not in all. Ice, by itself, works only for a few shots (such as Botox) and... more

Juvederm does great in the llps and the nasolabial grooves. I usually do a nerve block so you don't have to suffer. It runs roughly $550 / syringe and lasts about 4-6 months in the lips and 6-12 months in the nasolabial areas. Usually, you need two syringes for the nasolabial areas. 

If Juvederm is injected into the lips without any local anesthesia, it can be some of the worst pain you will ever experience. Other areas like cheeks and nasolabial grooves are not that bad. Regards

For most patients, Juvederm is performed with topical anesthesia cream and/or ice packs. The needles used are much smaller than those used for most other injections. The only time I routinely do a "block" with anesthetic injections is when I am enhancing lips. In the cheeks and naso-labial folds I feel Juvederm lasts between 6 to 9 months. More recently, we have also been mixing hyaluronic acid fillers with local anesthetic to reduce discomfort on injection as well.... more

Everyone is different when it comes to pain. I have some patients who prefer to get their injections without any anesthetic. I also have patients who want to be totally pain free so we use various methods of local anesthesia. Most commonly we do you some form of local anesthesia. The key is to be comfortable. Go to an experienced injector with a good reputation and you should be in good hands.

Pain is difficult to measure and varies widely from patient to patient.  Most of my patients tolerate Juvederm injections without any anesthesia.  Local infiltration might cause a change in the contour of the area to be treated.  A nerve block or topical anesthetic could be used.

I personally use a very strong local anesthetic cream and ice before injections. This has eliminated my need for dental block nerve injections entirely. The combination of the cream and ice makes the injections very tolerable and the tissues aren't distorted by local anesthesia having been injected into them. Pricing varies with the region and the doctor, just don't go to the cheap person as you will get what you pay for!