Allergan introduces Juvéderm

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Rejuvenating Skin Care for Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, & Washington DC

Juvéderm

Juvéderm is the latest dermal filler being introduced by Allergan, Inc to help reduce the appearance of deep nasiolabial folds, fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth and to create fuller lips.  This innovative smooth gel, is a non-animal hyaluronic acid dermal filler that offers patients a natural look and feel with long lasting results for up to six months and possibly longer.  Juvéderm’s longevity and smoothness can be attributed to the high concentrate of hyaluronic acid and its special formulation process.  Juvéderm has the highest concentration of cross linked hyaluronic acid of any dermal filler currently available in the US market.  Juvéderm’s smooth gel is positioned into the skin and creates a smooth natural look.  The smoother consistency of Juvéderm also helps to minimize the discomfort during the injection procedure. 

The FDA’s approval of Juvéderm dermal fillers in June of 2006 was based upon information from a double blind clinical trial.  For six months, 439 test subjects were followed after an injection of Juvéderm in one nasolabial fold and collagen in the other fold.  Juvéderm dermal filler proved to be a more continual winkle correction over a six month period.  A total of 88% of the subjects involved the study preferred the Juvéderm dermal filler.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a natural complex sugar found in all living organisms, including men and women, that retains water.  It absorbs more than 1,000 times its weight and can add volume to the skin’s surface.  Hyaluronic acid plays an important role in numerous areas of the body such as the maintenance of skin volume and hydration, eye volume and shape and joint lubrication and cushioning.  Hyaluronic acid will bind with elastin and collagen to transport essential nutrients.  The combination of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid provides structure, elasticity and volume to the skin. 

The skin cells age and are exposed to environmental pollutants and ultraviolet rays, this causes them to diminish their ability to make hyaluronic acid.  This is what causes skin to lose volume causing facial wrinkles and folds.  Dermal fillers crossed linked with hyaluronic acid are used to help temporarily replace lost hyaluronic acid and restore the skin’s volume and smooth appearance. 

Side effects of Juvéderm

The most common reported side effects are temporary injection site redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, firmness, swelling, lumps, and bruising.  Laser treatments, chemical peels or any other active dermal procedure done after Juvéderm may cause inflammation around the injection site.

Patients should notify Dr. Michael J. Brown and staff, if they are on any medication that may prolong bleeding, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.  This may cause increased bruising or bleeding at the injection site.  As with all injection procedures, there is a risk of infection.  The safety of Juvéderm injectable gel in patients with a history of excessive scarring and pigmentation disorders has not been studied.

Juvéderm injectable gel should not be used if a patient with a history of anaphylaxis or multiple severe allergies.  Juvéderm should not be used with patients who have allergies to gram positive bacterial proteins.  The effectiveness of Juvéderm, as with all other hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, for the treatment of areas other than facial wrinkles and folds has not been established in controlled clinical studies.