If We Didn't Use Full Syringe of Juvederm, How Long It is Good for if Refrigerated?

Juvederm does not need to be refrigerated. In theory, It can be resealed and stored for several months after opening without refrigeration, but because no one can guarantee sterility for an extended period after opening most offices put a limit on how long they will allow you to store it.  You should ask what the policy is before you start, so you know and plan to use it up before the timeline.

Some doctors will do this, but I do not store any product.  I am not sure that the risk is worth the volume saved.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

As long as the office is careful about maintaining sterility and your name and the date is properly labeled on the syringe, there is no logical reason it cannot be saved for the same person who started it.  Studies have shown no bacterial contamination after 3 months of storage, many offices will save it for 3 months. Some physicians do not like to save leftover product because they want you to purchase another syringe.  Also, some offices, such as ours, offer smaller 0.5 cc syringes which are less expensive.

There are no clear double blind placebo controlled studies that guarantee sterility of fillers after they have been opened. The manufacturers discourage storage. This is what we do in my practice in Los Angles. After injection the old needle is removed and the sterile cap put back on the syringe. We write the patients name and social security and date of treatment on the syringe and store it in a medical refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. This is in case a touch up is needed. I personally do not feel comfortable keeping it longer than that. I believe the risk of bacterial contamination increases with time. Having said that I have never had a bacterial infection from re-using a syringe of filler.

Hi,
Some places try to save money and store half used syringe for another customer, this simply is not ethical and it is bad practice of medicine. No matter what you do, when the seal is broken, weather you transfer it to another syringe or anything you do, you’re posing the risk of contamination to the syringe. I would not want to be injected myself with a half used syringe, no matter how clean the process is done, so I would not do it for my patients as well.
Best

Thank you for your question! It is usually best to use all of the Juvederm at one setting.  There is no requirement for refrigeration.   I do not think that this violates any medical standard to store your syringe for up to 6 weeks.  I do not make a practice of it but if it is stored correctly, labeled correctly so that no other patient could be injected with the same syringe I would think it would be fine. Best of luck!

Because you could risk infection, I do not advise storage of used product. Doing so is not safe medicine. Best of luck.

It is usually best to use all of the Juvederm at one setting.  There is no requirement for refrigeration.   I do not think that this violates any medical standard to store your syringe for up to 6 weeks.  I do not make a practice of it but if it is stored correctly, labeled correctly so that no other patient could be injected with the same syringe I would think it would be fine.

Juvederm as well as the other HA's are meant to be single use and not stored.  Before opening the box, they are kept at room temperature.

Once the syringe is opened, the remaining portion of the filler if not used in the same patient immediately should be discarded. It is a matter of sterility, prevention of mistaken use in other patients to prevent cross contamination. The remaining portion is medically discarded.