POSTED UNDER Juvederm REVIEWS
34 Year Old, Lost 35lbs and Needed to Replace Volume in Cheeks - London, GB
ORIGINAL POST
I was very excited about getting Juvederm Voluma....
ladyt2June 15, 2015
$800
I was very excited about getting Juvederm Voluma. The one downside to my weight loss was a gaunt and older looking face.
I got Botox 4 weeks ago and it and looks great! No complications. I researched fillers for over a year and so I decided to pay the extra and go to a reputable fully-qualified Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon who now works in beauty, facial plastics and aesthetics. She informed me that Juvederm Voluma had fewer complications than Botox as it was a product naturally found in our bodies. She showed how it could benefit me and reassured me that in her 9 years injecting she saw no infections. I went ahead with the procedure last week and got 1 sringe, half each cheek. The Dr. used a candula to minimise needle insertions to 1 on each cheek, minimising the risk of infection. I found the treatment uncomfortable and especially traumatic on my left cheek as she struggled to get the product in. It was a very different experience to Botox. My cheeks haven't been the same since, over the past week I have been to the doctor 3 times and A&E once. My cheeks felt like they were on fire and very red for days, I was icing and using arnica cooling gel. The doctor gave me antibiotics and I took antihistamines also. They are not sure if I was allergic to the lidocaine anaesthetic or the hyaluronic acid.The redness has now gone but my left cheek is still very sore and bruised. The doctor says its "deep skin trauma" and will take time to heal. I was so upset and full of anxiety about the possibility of infection all week. Hopefully I will recover completely soon. There is no way of knowing the outcome of any treatment, no matter how careful or well researched one is.
I got Botox 4 weeks ago and it and looks great! No complications. I researched fillers for over a year and so I decided to pay the extra and go to a reputable fully-qualified Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon who now works in beauty, facial plastics and aesthetics. She informed me that Juvederm Voluma had fewer complications than Botox as it was a product naturally found in our bodies. She showed how it could benefit me and reassured me that in her 9 years injecting she saw no infections. I went ahead with the procedure last week and got 1 sringe, half each cheek. The Dr. used a candula to minimise needle insertions to 1 on each cheek, minimising the risk of infection. I found the treatment uncomfortable and especially traumatic on my left cheek as she struggled to get the product in. It was a very different experience to Botox. My cheeks haven't been the same since, over the past week I have been to the doctor 3 times and A&E once. My cheeks felt like they were on fire and very red for days, I was icing and using arnica cooling gel. The doctor gave me antibiotics and I took antihistamines also. They are not sure if I was allergic to the lidocaine anaesthetic or the hyaluronic acid.The redness has now gone but my left cheek is still very sore and bruised. The doctor says its "deep skin trauma" and will take time to heal. I was so upset and full of anxiety about the possibility of infection all week. Hopefully I will recover completely soon. There is no way of knowing the outcome of any treatment, no matter how careful or well researched one is.
Replies (19)
June 16, 2015
I had a similar experience. One side of my face was hard to get the filler in. Lots of tugging, pushing and pulling. Deeply uncomfortable. Also, I bruised (both sides) horrendously, not so much superficial bruising but deep down. I couldn't sleep well for a few days as each side was so incredibly sore. The bruising took ages to go. Really, at least three weeks. At one point my face was yellow from eyes and down both cheeks. I had a visible lump from the voluma too which I massaged away - wasn't sure what else to do. It's been about 5 months since I had it done now and I think there's improvement in how I look but I'm really not sure I can go through that again. My filler practitioner was/is quite a well known plastic surgeon. I think perhaps my face bruises terribly easy (he used a cannula) and I was unlucky. Just wanted to say that it gets better! But you might be looking at three weeks - month if you were bruised like me. xxxxx
June 22, 2015
Thanks for you comment and I'm glad you recovered! It can be very scary. I definitely have a allergic reaction as it has been 2 weeks and I still have an inflammatory reaction on both cheeks! Both feel hot and go red in warm situations. It's so strange. My doctor has contacted Allergan about my reaction and I go back tomorrow! Hopefully she can do something for me :(
June 24, 2015
I can't understand why you would got to an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor, when you are having a cosmetic procedure. This is not their area of expertise. I hope you heal, without repercussions, but please consider using a Dermatologist, or Plastic Surgeon next time.
August 5, 2015
Actually, I would revise that statement for more accuracy: ENTs (Otolaryngologists) perform facial plastic surgery. Some ENTs obtain additional training in sub-specialties, such as plastic surgery. From one website: "ENT surgeons with additional training and experience in facial plastic surgery may be additionally certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS)." So in the US, I would always seek-out a doctor with the appropriate certification for the procedure.
Generally, I would have no problem going to an ENT for rhinoplasty or a cosmetic procedure relative to the ears or eyes. But for injectables, I prefer doctors who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, but board certified dermatologists should be fine. Due diligence is important. Lots of people want to perform plastic surgery because they don't have to deal with insurance companies (or Medicare/Medicaid) for elective procedures and they're very profitable. And in the US, all sorts of medical specialists are administering injectables, including doctors with widely varying specialties totally unrelated to the face; and dentists, who assert that their knowledge of facial muscles makes them expert in injectables; and, as another reviewer noted, nurses. Many of these people have taken a weekend course at an ocean-side resort to learn how to inject fillers. So, their training is *vastly* different from the training that I would want my own doctor to have. The downside, of course, could be price charged by the better qualified (i.e., well credentialed and well trained) injectors. For instance, I see dentists and internists in my area charging $399 per vial of Juvederm XC, compared to my American Board of Plastic Surgery certified doctor who has 25 years of experience, charging $700/vial. But I trust him.
Generally, I would have no problem going to an ENT for rhinoplasty or a cosmetic procedure relative to the ears or eyes. But for injectables, I prefer doctors who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, but board certified dermatologists should be fine. Due diligence is important. Lots of people want to perform plastic surgery because they don't have to deal with insurance companies (or Medicare/Medicaid) for elective procedures and they're very profitable. And in the US, all sorts of medical specialists are administering injectables, including doctors with widely varying specialties totally unrelated to the face; and dentists, who assert that their knowledge of facial muscles makes them expert in injectables; and, as another reviewer noted, nurses. Many of these people have taken a weekend course at an ocean-side resort to learn how to inject fillers. So, their training is *vastly* different from the training that I would want my own doctor to have. The downside, of course, could be price charged by the better qualified (i.e., well credentialed and well trained) injectors. For instance, I see dentists and internists in my area charging $399 per vial of Juvederm XC, compared to my American Board of Plastic Surgery certified doctor who has 25 years of experience, charging $700/vial. But I trust him.
UPDATED FROM ladyt2
9 months post
9 months of constant pain
ladyt2March 12, 2016
I have torturous nerve damage. It was many months before I got a name for the debilitating condition that I am suffering from as a result of this procedure. It is called Post Traumatic Trigeminal Neuropathy. It is constant horrible facial pain in my left cheek and eye and autonomic skin changes or redness and swelling. I am on heavy nerve medication with side effects but unfortunately they are not working. This is a very difficult condition to treat. If I am still in pain in a couple of months it could mean my condition is permanent. My life would be ruined. When my pain was getting worse, the Doctor who performed the procedure told me I had "somatization disorder" where pain is all in your head & to see a psychologist. These people are crooks! Please think of the consequences before getting this procedure done. It can cause life changing pain.
Replies (4)
July 25, 2016
Thank you for sharing your experience. Did they hit a nerve then? This sounds like a horrible ordeal to go through, I'm so sorry.
May 23, 2022
wow. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope that you can in some way find relief. Hopes for you to be well. Take care.
How are you feeling? From your photos, the bruising doesn't look bad at all. I did look at the Juvederm Voluma Q&A in our Questions section and all the doctors say that Voluma can take up to 2 weeks to settle and bruising and swelling usually improve in about a week.
I know the Voluma thicker, but did the doctor say why she had so much trouble getting the filler in your left cheek? I'm curious since you didn't say you had any issues with our right cheek.
Please keep us posted and please post an updated photo in a few days so we can see how you're doing!