Fast facts

Juvederm


What it is: A dermal filler (cosmetic injection) FDA approved for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid gel and is available in various formulations, including Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Ultra Plus.

Juvederm injections are absorbed by the body over time but results may last up to one year.  Juvederm products are manufactured by Allergan, the same pharmaceutical company behind Botox Cosmetic.


What it addresses:

- Thin lips
- Hollow cheeks and under-eyes
- Facial wrinkles and folds
- Some nose irregularities
- Acne scars and skin depressions


MORE INFORMATION

Question

What caused rapid loss of Juvederm filler in my lips?

I had my lips filled with Juvederm back in June. At the beginning of July I had a touch up performed. My lips looked great for about a month. Little over a week ago the volume in my lips went down considerably. My doctor is suggesting to wait at least another month or two before another procedure as there is still a little volume to be seen.

Is this an effect that is common? Does smoking have any negative effect on the filler? Do I get charged the same amount of money next time I go? Thank you in advance for your help.


Asked by: Yana
Fairview, NJ, USA

Answers (2)

Sort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1
September 2, 2008

They don't call them "Smoker's Lines" for nothing.

Michael A. Persky, MD
Michael A. Persky, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hi Yana,

I agree with Dr. Salemy.  As with other aspects of your health, certainly smoking can adversely affect the longevity of the product.  If you have to return within a month for more product, you may ask your physician if you can be charged for the wholesale cost of the product only.  The less you move and use your lips, the longer the product will usually last.  Be well.

Dr. P

2
August 28, 2008

Juvederm longevity in the lips

Shahram Salemy, MD
Shahram Salemy, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Yana,

Even though we are told that Juvederm can last up to a year, the reality is this varies from patient to patient. Some folks metabolize the product much quicker than others, so what has happened with your lips does sometimes happen.

Two other factors that sometimes cause this more rapid loss of volume after injection include the depth of injection (how deep the product was placed) as well as the amount. If the Juvederm was injected too deep, it has a tendency to sometimes be absorbed more quickly than we would like. In addition, if there was not enough product used, it will look ok for a bit, but once all the swelling goes down, there will be a need to do a repeat injection. For this reason, I will often times have patients come back at a week or so after the procedure to see if we need to do any more.

In terms of cost, this varies from one provider to the next, but many will charge by the syringe, so don't be surprised if you are asked to pay for another procedure.

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