Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid in the form of transparent viscoelastic gel. Over recent years, hyaluronic acid (HA) has emerged as the miracle compound for filling in wrinkles. HA is a natural substance that is found throughout your body. It gives volume to the skin, lubricates the joints and gives the eyes their shape. HA is a naturally occurring substance (complex sugar) found throughout the body in all living organisms. In the skin, HA fills the space between collagen and elastin fibers replenishing the natural support layers lost with aging while delivering essential nutrients and hydration over time, HA is gradually reabsorbed in the body.

Juvederm can be used for smoothing out folds and wrinkles, lip enhancements and shaping facial contours. The most common areas are the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows), the nasolabial folds (from the root of the nose to the angle of the mouth) and the lips, although other sites can also be treated.

No pre-test is needed. Juvederm is a natural, biodegradable substance of non-animal origin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Juvederm for the treatment of facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds, the lines between the nose and mouth.

Who is a candidate for Juvederm?

Juvederm is best suited to patients between the ages of 25 to 65. Juvederm comes in 3 different densities. You may be a good candidate if you have any of the following conditions:

Juvederm 18: correction of fine wrinkles, such us "crow's feet or peri-oral wrinkles.
Juvederm 24 or 24HV: correction of medium depth wrinkles, such as nasolabial folds, lip augmentation, forehead wrinkles, glabellar lines, obvious mild to moderate nasal furrows and cheek wrinkles.
Juvederm 30 or 30HV: is more dense; used to fill skin folds, give cheeks and lips volume, and to fill very deep nasolabial, naso-genian folds.

The Juvederm Treatment

Juvederm gel is injected into the skin in tiny amounts to replace lost volume, lifting up and smoothing out unwanted wrinkles. Dr. Popham or Dr. White inject Juvederm into the treatment area using a variety of techniques to achieve the desired result. The treated area is numbed slightly with a topical anaesthetising cream before treatment.

Immediately after the treatment, you can expect slight redness, swelling, tenderness or an itching sensation in the treated area. This is a normal result of the injection. The discomfort is temporary and generally disappears in a few days. After a lip treatment, the lips may become swollen and look somewhat uneven. It has been shown in clinical trials that Juvederm is effective for up to six months, but individual results may vary.