MD selling half syringe of Juvederm?

Question

I had a consult with an MD offering half syringes at about $375. I am concerned at how this may be possible. Does Juvederm come in Half cc's? Is this man reusing his syringes on multiple patients to split a cc into 2 uses?

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

Doctors do not sell ½ syringes of
filler nor does Allergan supply them as such. Most people would require at
least one syringe to properly treat an area. That being said, one syringe of
filler can be decanted to another syringe to treat two patients. I would only
do this if they were friends/relatives and came to our office together for
their injections so that the stability of the product is preserved.You should perhaps ask the MD how they are preserving the half syringe.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is possible to transfer half a syringe into an empty syringe. It is not reasonable to begin to speculate what this injector does. The best option would be to ask the injector himself and if concerned seek treatment from a different injector. Best,

Joel Schlessinger, MD · Answer

While it is theoretically possible to have one half a syringe of a product, the best thing to do is to avoid this person as it is also possible they are using it on multiple individuals and it could be non-sterile or unsafe.  I would not even consider a person who sells it in this way.  Besides this, the price he is charging approaches what we would charge for an entire syringe!

Ran Y. Rubinstein, MD · Answer

I think that you have a valid question.  It is rare that a patient wont need more than 1 syringe to treat facial lines, folds and volume loss.  If a physician is offering only half a syringe, make sure that they are not splitting the syringe with two patients.  This could lead to sterility issued and potentially transmission of diseases between patients.  Physicians offering such small quantities often are not experienced and don't know where to place the filler.  I would make sure the physician is a board certified plastic, facial plastic, occuloplastic or dermatologic surgeon with experience in filler injections.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

This does occur. It is rare to find a person who will see significant benefit from 1 cc, let alone 0.5 cc. For this reason, the practice of injecting small syringes is very uncommon. If you do choose to go down that route, ensure that your injector is using small syringes (as opposed to half of a full 1 cc syringe) and they open the product in the room with you. This will ensure that safe, sterile filler will be used only for you.I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

MD selling half syringe of Juvederm?

Answers (9)