Your face shape is the most telling sign of your age. When we are young, we have a tight, narrow jawline and full, lifted cheeks. As we age, our collagen and elastin production decreases. We lose volumizing facial fat and supportive bone. Much like a balloon deflating over time, our skin’s surface loses firmness, fullness, and lift. It begins to sag and appear heavy. Dermal fillers inflate that balloon back up to create a more smooth, full appearance to your skin and provide support and lift.
JUVÉDERM® is a collection of fillers to temporarily lift & contour cheeks, smooth lines, or plump lips. All Juvéderm products are made from molecules of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring sugar in skin that keeps it plump, hydrated and youthful. But what is the difference between the “Vol” products (Voluma, Volbella, Vollure) and their predecessors, Juvéderm XC and Juvéderm Ultra.
To convert HA molecules into a stable, lasting filler, they are bonded together, or “cross-linked,” in a specific fashion and suspended in water to make a gel. The tighter the cross-linking, the higher percentage of HA molecules per mL (or “cc” cubic centimeter) of water, and the thicker the gel. HA molecules come in different molecular weights. You can cross-link HA molecules of all the same molecular weight to form a single-consistency gel (i.e. thin, medium or thick), or you can cross-link different molecular weights of HA in different patterns to make a dermal filler act like both a thin and thick gel to some degree.
What you end up with are fillers that are the same in most ways, but act just a bit differently to achieve a certain aesthetic goal. Older forms of Juvéderm cross-link HA molecules of all the same weight -they called this process “Hylacross.” Newer versions cross-link higher and lower molecular weights —they call this “Vycross”. The difference between the older, “regular” Juvéderm fillers and the newer, “Vol-something” fillers lies in how the molecules of HA are arranged.
Juvederm XC is a smooth gel filler used to smooth away wrinkles around the mouth and nose. Juvederm® XC is available in two forms: Ultra and Ultra Plus. Juvederm® Ultra is used to treat more superficial lines whereas Juvederm® Ultra Plus is used for those deeper folds or lines where more volume is needed. They are used in the laugh lines around the mouth, marionette folds, and vertical lip lines as well as lip enhancement. Juvederm® is infused with lidocaine to make your treatment more comfortable. You may experience swelling and pin-point bruising following your treatment. Juvederm®XC is FDA approved to last up to one year but the effects of your treatment will vary depending on how much product is used, the individual and the area(s) treated.
Vobella, Voluma and Vollure each cross-link a different ratio of high to low molecular weight HA particles to achieve a certain strength, thickness, and spreadability:
Our doctors will be able to select the right filler given your skin type, goals and personal preferences, to achieve a beautiful outcome.
