32 Years Old / Voluma in Cheeks + Juvederm Ultra Plus in Lips - Wayne, NJ

I never post reviews for things online, but RealSelf has been invaluable to me so I figured I’d pay it back.

I started noticing a loss in volume in my cheeks when I was in my late 20s. I never had strong cheekbones, which I am fine with, but my cheeks really started to concave right underneath my already small cheekbones which made me feel really old. The volume loss was really asymmetrical and I would obsessed about it a lot. Any time I would see my reflection, my cheeks were all I would focus on. My reflection looked the worst in car windows which is distracting as hell while walking around NYC. Overall my face just looked really deflated and old to me.

I considered cheek implants, but I decided against it because I don’t want larger cheekbones. I was too afraid it would make me look entirely different. I don’t want to look like a different person, I only want to look like my younger self. I was really reluctant about getting filler injections because I try to only put all natural substances in my body (organic, gluten free, vegan, no refined sugars or artificial ingredients etc). I tend to be very sensitive to foreign substances and had bad reactions to pharmaceuticals in the past so fillers freaked me out. It was a real dilemma, but I decided that the psychological impact my face was causing needed a solution and fillers seemed like the best option.

I got 1 syringe of Voluma split between both cheeks on 3/16/2016. The procedure itself was relatively painless. They applied numbing cream for about 10 minutes prior. I didn’t feel much of a pinch from the needle, but I could hear a grinding noise, kinda like when you get work done at the dentist. It was unusual but completely tolerable. The entire thing lasted maybe 10 minutes max.

Voluma worked LIKE MAGIC. I instantly got my youthful cheeks back! I did experience quite a bit of asymmetrical swelling but everything evened out after 2 weeks. I also had a lump on my right cheek that also went away after 2 weeks (it wasn’t visible, but you could feel it when touched). After the swelling went down I contemplated getting another syringe, which the doctor suggested, but I am deciding against it at the moment. When I look in the mirror now I no longer have negative feelings about my cheeks which was the goal of all this. So I will wait to get another syringe when I notice it wearing off.

So after the above, I decided I should probably do something about my lips. I kept trying tons of lip plumpers and watched tutorials on how to over line my lips, but no matter what they still looked deflated. It wasn’t like this when I was young. I used to have nice plump lips and was able to wear lipstick just fine. (see pictures)

I went back to the doctor and got 1 syringe of Juvederm Ultra Plus in my lips on 04/13/2016. They applied numbing cream about 10 minutes prior which helped. It was slightly more painful than the Voluma but it wasn’t that bad at all. The procedure was quick and lasted less than 10 minutes.

Honestly, this experience wasn’t as gratifying as Voluma. When I saw my reflection immediately after I was kinda scared. My lips looked SO huge. After I went home I showed my boyfriend and he looked really surprised, but tried to be really supportive. I didn’t panic just yet because I assumed most of it was swelling. I iced my lips for 10 minutes about every 2-3 hours for the first 2 days and did not leave my apartment at all because I felt like a freak.

By the 3rd and 4th day the swelling went down a bit more, but I still felt I looked like a freak. They protruded a lot and the shape looked strange to me. I felt like the right side on my top lip extended a lot further than the left side. I also noticed a lump on my top lip which looked almost translucent. It was at this time that I noticed the white spots all along my top lip. I googled and they are called “fordyce spots”. This is when I really started to panic and regret everything.

So after 7 days I returned to the doctor and he said the fordyce spots are just glands and should calm down eventually, and the lump will go down and to massage it. I should wait a full 2 weeks to let things settle.

I looked through all my before pictures and WOW, my lips were SO deflated before. It has been 10 days since Juvederm Ultra Plus and even though I feel like my lips still look a little weird, it looks better than before. I *think* I am happy with the decision and my mind just needs to adjust to the changes. I need to stop looking in mirror and obsessing about this stuff!!!

I still have a lump on my top lip and just noticed a lump on my bottom lip last night after feeling around. I will keep you posted on the lumps and white spots because other people had this issue too. I am going to start applying apple cider vinegar on my lips to see if that helps with the spots. I also hope my top lip will even out more.

Pictures attached. Sorry they are blurry!

The lump in my lip went away after about 1.5 months. It has been 3 months since injections in my lips and the Juvederm Ultra Plus 100% gone. Not too happy about that. I don't know if I will do it again since it didn't last.

The Voluma in my cheeks seems to be holding up though, which is good. I hope it stays that way!