First Time for Everything! Voluma 2cc Cheeks, Restylane 1cc Tear Troughs

Hello! This community has been such an incredible resource to me, so I think it’s about time I contribute too. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

The brief: 27-year-old female, never had anything done. Mid-face volume loss from weight loss. Genetically deep tear troughs aggravated by weight loss (and stress). Mild facial asymmetry, right cheek less full than the left.

9/25/17: 1cc Voluma, split between cheeks.  10/18/17: 1cc Restylane, split between tear troughs. 1cc Voluma, split between cheeks.

Haven’t run into any major mishaps yet, let’s hope it stays that way!

On 9/25/17, about month ago now, baby got her first cc of Voluma--split between cheeks (numbing cream prep, no cannula). Pricing $808.

I already had a consult with my RN a few weeks prior and explained my top concern was volume loss in my cheeks and how the skin had started to sag. She took her time and felt for “deficits” in my cheeks; feeling the apples back towards the cheekbones. She injected where I think a ridge of the cheekbone starts (to the side towards the apple, not on top) and adjusted according to facial asymmetry, so it wasn’t exactly .5 here and .5 there.

I prepped by avoiding alcohol for a week (don’t drink much anyway), fish, Tylenol, anything I thought could thin blood, and popped sublingual arnica tablets like candy. Not sure if it made a difference, but I didn’t bruise. I did eat garlic the day before, which is allegedly bad. I was still fine.

It was a painless and comfortable experience for me. Very minimal discomfort post procedure. Instant results. Considering it was only one syringe, I feel like I got some good mileage out of it.

As for addressing my concerns, I think it did a great job of lifting my lower face and looking less heavy (primary goal). It didn’t remove the deep tear troughs or nasolabial folds, but I'd say it softened them. Once everything "settled" after a few weeks, I felt I could use a little more.

Note: Any injector worth their salt will customize where to inject based on your needs and facial structure. I’m only recording what worked for me!

On 10/18/17 I got an additional 1cc of Voluma split between cheeks and 1cc of Restylane split between tear troughs. Numbing cream prep, no cannula. This time I bruised a bit. The tear trough is a very delicate area and even an experienced injector can’t guarantee you’ll leave unscathed. I’ll add that I was on vacation and went to a couple weddings the week before—I drank a bit more than I should, so that might’ve had something to do with it. During the procedure Cat gave me ice, arnica cream, and sublingal arnica tabs at the first sign of trouble. I iced a lot that night and in the two mornings to follow. I also have my own sublingual arnica tabs and arnica salve. Don’t think the bruising is too bad, it covers up easily enough (and I wear glasses). Nothing hurt. Getting undereye injections was pretty weird though.

The goal of this visit was to help my deep tear troughs, provide more lift to cheeks, and improve appearance of nasolabial folds. Tear trough area is healing nicely, morning of day 3 and I barely feel bumps anymore. There is more lift in my lower cheeks (we’ll see how they hold up after swelling is gone). The nasolabial fold area didn’t improve as much as I would have liked. But, I still think my RN used the product efficiently according to needs and priorities.
Currently, I’m very happy with the Restylane; though, I’m on the fence about the extra Voluma cc. There are some angles that highlight my facial asymmetry in a way that seems… Picasso-esque (?), which is not the look I’m going for. But, I’m not going to freak out because 1) the swelling has been prominent in different places and it’s barely been 3 days, so I need to wait for that to subside and 2) my face was already a bit asymmetrical (left side fuller than right) and a couple syringes isn’t necessarily going to resolve that. Cat is good, but she’s not God. My hunch is that I will think it was worth it. That said, I’d prefer not to get another cc of Voluma too soon and risk overdoing it, but I’d consider it if this isn’t just swelling a few weeks from now.

Seeing my results, I may want to get a syringe of Juvederm later on to soften the nasolabial fold area. My right side has more of a droop than the left and I feel like it has a big effect on the way the skin drapes around my mouth (especially on the right corner, which sags a pinch more than the left). Or, if Cat thinks another syringe of Voluma could help with that and plump up the right side, yet also not go overboard—we may do that. My plan is to COOL IT for the next few weeks and not make any decisions before everything is settled in!