Hyaluronic Acid: The Magic Behind Dermal Fillers
Hyaluronic acid. Sounds scary? Not really. Hyaluronic acid is just the fancy medical term for a sugar compound that occurs naturally in our bodies, and which is responsible for maintaining facial fullness and elasticity in our skin by binding to water like a sponge, absorbing up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Over time though, as we age, our bodies produce less of this important compound. Juvederm can help restore youthful levels of hyaluronic acid.
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Ultra and Ultra Plus are both ‘general purpose’ facial fillers and can be used to smooth wrinkles, fill in nasolabial folds (the lines from the side of your nose to the corners of your mouth) and marionette lines (the lines from the corners of your mouth toward your jawline) and to restore fullness to cheeks and lips. In addition, these products can be used to smooth wrinkles and restore youthfulness to our hands.
Ultra is a little softer, which may result in a smoother, more natural feel to the treated areas but is also one reason why these treatments won’t last as long as similar treatments with Ultra Plus. The ‘XC’ extension on both of these products simply indicates that they have added lidocaine to reduce discomfort during injections.
Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in our bodies that helps skin retain its moisture and elasticity and stimulates collagen. As we get older and through exposure to the sun, our bodies begin to produce less hyaluronic acid and collagen, which can lead to volume loss and wrinkles around the mouth. Juvederm Ultra Plus is a safe, non-invasive way to fill out and smooth these lines and wrinkles.
Juvederm Ultra Plus is a thick, crystal clear get that is injected through fine needles into the desired areas of the skin, where it aids the skin in retaining moisture as it adds volume and aids in smoothing fine lines and moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds around your nose and mouth. It is injected into the deeper layers of your skin, where it can last up to a year.
When you come to Magnifaskin MedSpa for your consultation, we will examine your skin to decide the most optimal treatment plan for you. On the day of your procedure, we will cleanse the areas of your face that will be injected and may apply a topical anesthetic or ice to that area. A member of our trained and skilled staff will then inject the gel into your skin. The procedure lasts between 15 to 30 minutes, and you can begin to see the results immediately.
The treatment isn’t painful. Some patients have reported a slight pinching or stinging sensation. There may be some small tenderness to the area on the day following your injection.
Side effects to Juvederm Ultra Plus are minimal You may experience a small amount of swelling, bruising or tenderness.
There is no downtime with Juvederm Ultra Plus. While you may experience a small amount of bruising, you can get back to life and work right away. After your treatments you will be given instructions for aftercare. You will want to minimize strenuous exercise, sun exposure and alcoholic beverages in the first 24 to 48 hours after treatment to avoid increasing the chance of side effects.
Duration: Up to 12 Months
We’ve provided average durations for each Juvederm treatment type as a handy guideline. Each person is different, however. Factors such as your overall health, activity level, metabolism, and how much you tend to move your face can influence how long each treatment will last.
All formulations of Juvederm contain lidocaine to reduce discomfort during treatment.
The various formulations of Juvederm typically work better in some areas over others, however, as each person is unique, we may recommend a different formulation than what is shown in our guidelines in order to ensure the best possible results.
Treatment Areas Ultra:
Nasolabial Folds
Marionette Lines
Lips Augmentation
Hands
Mild to Moderate Folds
Treatment Areas Ultra Plus:
Nasolabial Folds
Marionette Lines
Cheeks
Moderate to Severe Folds
Talk to one of our clinicians to decide which of the Restylane family of products is best for your needs. We can even create a comprehensive treatment plan which takes advantage of the different Restylane formulations to restore your youthful appearance and enhance your natural beauty. Contact us today, either by phone or by using the contact form below. We’ll provide you with a free and thorough consultation.
Juvederm is smoother than Restylane, but this doesn’t mean better. While the smoother consistency of Juvederm means that it is less likely to leave small bumps after treatment (these will fade and smooth out in time) this also means that Juvederm is more likely to ‘bleed’ in to areas around the treatment area, with undesirable results. Juvederm is, for instance, ideal for filling lines and wrinkles, but if used in the hollows under the eyes can easily travel to the top of the cheeks, creating an undesirable puffiness. For this application, Restylane would be the better choice.
Restylane and Restylane Lyft are slightly coarser than Juvederm, but while this means that a Restylane treatment may leave small bumps that will take a few days to smooth out, the thicker consistency means that Restylane is less likely to ‘travel’ outside the treatment area. This makes Restylane the right choice to fill in lines and wrinkles around the eyes and lips as well as the nasolabial folds. Restylane will smooth these areas without creating puffiness in the surrounding tissues.
Revanesse Versa is a new generation of dermal filler. Produced in intentionally small batches by Prollenium Medical Technologies to ensure quality control, Versa has been available in Canada since 2012. Revanesse gained US FDA approval in December of 2017 and has been growing in popularity since.