For many of us, the approach of aging can bring frustrating, unwanted changes in the complexion of our skin. While this process can make us self-conscious about our looks, it almost never affects people in the exact same way. Fortunately, scientists have developed Juvederm injection, an effective hyaluronic acid filler that treats the effects of aging in multiple treatment areas, and you can find it now from the friendly professionals at Beautique Medical Anti-Aging in Knoxville, TN.
What Causes Aging Skin?
There are a number of reasons that skin begins to change as we get older. For one thing, we may start to see a decline in collagen and elastin: two important proteins that contribute to the strength and elasticity of our skin. We may also find that years of sun damage or other exposure to the environment has played a part, increasing the number of wrinkles we may have. Finally, we might also discover that our skin is losing volume and water retention, causing the skin to look thinner and encouraging wrinkles on the surface.
What Are Hyaluronic Acid Fillers?
As one might expect from the name, these fillers work by restoring your skin’s reserves of hyaluronic acid. The fillers themselves are usually a gel or semi-liquid formula that contain hyaluronic acid, which is injected directly into the skin. When this is done properly by an experienced injector, the process can provide targeted volume that boosts a specific treatment area of facial skin, lips, or cheeks.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that exists in all human skin. It is a polysaccharide sugar that helps skin deliver nutrients and retain moisture.
It Binds to Water
One of the most important properties of this sugar is that it attracts water molecules and binds to them. When it does this, it winds up binding to a great deal of water all at once. All that extra water keeps our skin looking supple and strong.
It Is Especially Present in Our Skin
Hyaluronic acid has many functions in the body, like lubricating joints and delivering wound-healing help to areas that have been hurt. Over half of your hyaluronic acid is present in your skin, making it a vitally important substance.
It Decreases With Age
As we age, our bodies produce less and less of this essential sugar. Because hyaluronic acid gradually gets absorbed by our bodies, the concentrations in our skin often decrease with age. As a result, the water retention in our skin drops, leading to wrinkles, lines, and thinner looking lips or cheeks.
In order to address these aesthetic concerns, the manufacturer Allergan produces Juvederm injection, a hyaluronic acid filler that can be directly injected into multiple areas that need additional volume.
What Areas Can Juvederm Injection Treat?
Juvederm injection works in several different areas. The original formula was developed years ago and approved by the FDA in 2006. It was primarily used for treating deep nasolabial folds, which are the lines that stretch from the sides of the nose down to the corners of the mouth. The Juvederm injection treatment was very successful, and over the years, more variations of the filler have been developed for other treatment areas.
Parenthesis Lines
These facial lines go by many names. Sometimes they are referred to as smile lines or laugh lines. Sometimes they are known as parenthesis lines due to the way they form a parenthesis shape around the mouth. They are also known as nasolabial folds, and they can be among the most distinctive signs of aging.
Filling parenthesis lines is one of Juvederm injection main uses. The original version of the filler was developed for this, and now there are several newer varieties that can be used. Ultra Plus XC provides a thick option for moderate or severe lines that need extra volume. Vollure XC can also be used for subtler work and has the benefit of being even longer-lasting.
Marionette Lines
Vollure XC and Ultra Plus XC can also be used to address marionette lines that stretch from the lips down to the chin. These lines are usually not as pronounced as the nasolabial folds, but they can still become quite noticeable. When these fillers are injected along the lines themselves, the effect softens the appearance of lines, and the treatment will usually last between 12 and 18 months.
Cheeks
There are several ways in which these fillers can help treat the cheeks. In many cases, patients will be concerned about an overall loss in volume causing a “hollow” or “sunken” look. For these challenges, Voluma XC can restore volume with a deep injection into the thicker skin of the cheeks. Voluma XC can also be used to “lift” the cheeks and contour the cheek line. It is the longest-lasting version of the filler, often delivering results two years after the injection.
Lips
If your goal is to restore volume to your lips, we also have several options at our disposal. Volbella XC is a variety that lasts for a year and is used for subtly shaping the lips. Ultra XC can add a more noticeable amount of volume. Finally, Beautique Medical Anti-Aging also offers our trademark “Nurse Shara LipFlip.” This treatment combines the best of both worlds––Juvederm injection and Botox––to create a full and natural-looking pout.
This filler has also been used to treat other areas of the face, where collagen treatments or Botox have not been successful. If you’d like to know more about these treatments, ask our staff if this filler can address your specific concern!
How Long Will My Results Last?
Results from these treatments last anywhere from one to two years. Each treatment area and specific type of filler has a slightly different longevity. Voluma XC has the most longevity due to its deep injection site.
How Quickly Will I See Results?
While the different types have varying lengths of staying power, you will generally see them all “kick in” at about the same time. Some results will be visible immediately as the hyaluronic acid starts to bind to the water that already exists in your skin. These initial results will not necessarily look like your final results, however. The filler needs some time to settle into place. After a two-week period, you will usually see your ideal results.
What Is the Experience Like?
A treatment session is very efficient, often lasting less than half an hour. The treatment is meant to be maximally convenient, and as a result, there is no recovery period or downtime required. In order to make the injection more comfortable, all vials of the filler are mixed with a local anesthetic.
What Should I Do Before and After Treatment?
A complete list of suggestions will be given at the time of your personal consultation. Typically, patients are advised to avoid blood-thinning pain killers like aspirin, alcohol, and exposure to direct sunlight, heat, or cold.
How Else Can I Treat Aging Skin?
There are many ways to treat the effects of aging skin, and the best treatment will usually depend on what sort of issue you wish to correct. If a loss of volume is not the primary problem, then there may be better options for you than a hyaluronic acid filler.
Botox for Frown Lines
Hyaluronic acid fillers are excellent choices for cheeks, lips, and areas around the lower parts of the face. However, many dermatologists prefer Botox when it comes to the upper regions of the face like forehead lines, glabellar lines (frown lines), or crow’s feet.
This neurotoxin works in a very different way from hyaluronic acid fillers, causing the nerves to stop sending contraction signals to muscles. When the muscles relax, wrinkles are softened and the face looks smoother as a result.
The Limits of Botox
It should be noted that not all wrinkles are caused by contracting muscles. For instance, Botox is not an effective treatment for wrinkles caused by sun damage, which is why laser treatments are often superior in this case. Botox may also lose its effectiveness after multiple treatments, at which point a hyaluronic acid filler may work better for some patients.
Laser Treatments for Sun and Surface Damage
If your skin is primarily suffering from age spots, sun damage, or wrinkles that are mostly on the surface, then our laser treatments may be the best approach. The surface of the skin needs to be treated directly in this case.
Collagen Treatments for Loss of Strength or Elasticity
If a lack of strength or elasticity is the problem, then one of our collagen therapies may be the best bet. These treatments cause your body to produce new collagen in the lower layers of the skin. As the collagen is naturally absorbed into the upper layers of skin, it increases epidermal strength and is often a useful way of dealing with loose skin. It is an effective and natural treatment, but it also can take several months to bring about the desired results.
Combining Treatments
In some cases, patients may want to combine various treatments. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s not uncommon to use both Botox and a hyaluronic acid filler to treat wrinkles in different areas of the face. On the other hand, fillers and laser treatments usually can’t be done at the same time, as it complicates the healing process. Fortunately, when you book a personal consultation with us, we can determine the specifics of your unique treatment and find the plan that works best for you.
What Happens at a Consultation?
Your personal consultation is an in-person meeting with one of our staff. It takes place before the actual treatment session. During this meeting, we will get to know you and understand what your goals are with this treatment. This will enable us to make sure that we have exactly the right treatment method for you. We will also discuss your medical history and make sure treatment will not interfere with any prescribed medications or medical conditions.
How Often Do I Need to Get Treatment?
This will depend on your specific reaction to the filler and the specific filler you use. It’s true that hyaluronic acid fillers are not permanent. Just like your natural hyaluronic acid, these fillers will also gradually become absorbed into your skin and the water-binding properties will decrease.
When this happens, maintenance treatments are helpful in keeping your aesthetic results consistent. While Volbella XC or Ultra Plus XC might need annual “touch-ups”, Voluma XC treatments may need to be renewed just once every two years. Because these fillers last longer than many others on the market, the long-term advantage is significant.
Book Your Consultation Today!
Would you like to know more? Our staff is standing by to answer all of your questions and help you experience the amazing benefits of Juvederm injection. Contact Beautique Medical Anti-Aging in Knoxville, TN, today!