Juvéderm in Boston
- Dr. Ahn is a facial plastic surgeon and has a great understanding of the facial anatomy.
- He personally trained Rebecca Hoffey RNFA.– Since then she has performed thousands of filler treatments successfully.
- Both have an eye for aesthetics that is unmatched.
- Both take great pains to avoid the puffy, overfilled look.
- The AWC makes use of cutting edge approaches and technology to offer the best treatment outcomes with the least amount of downtime.
Our Juvéderm treatment emphasizes the following:
- Natural looking results
- A result that makes the person look like a fresher and brighter version of themselves
- Avoiding with 100% certainty the “puffy” or overfilled look.
Advanced Juvéderm Techniques at the AWC
We are always trying to improve our results using the most cutting edge techniques. Recently we have incorporated 2 new approaches that have significantly improved patient satisfaction.
- Based on work out of Los Angeles, Juvéderm can be mixed with local anesthesia, creating a more “liquidy” solution. With this “reconstituted Juvéderm” we can be very artistic in our approach, especially in performing “liquid lifts.”
- New needle technology involves the use of blunt tipped cannulas. These cause less bruising (frequently none) and are more comfortable during the treatment.
What is Juvéderm?
Juvéderm is made of a material called Hyaluronic Acid (HA). Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring carbohydrate that is present in human skin, soft tissue and joints. It is often referred to as the “ground substance” and provides lubrication to joints and helps to maintain skin hydration.
Because it is naturally occurring, it feels natural, looks natural and lasts a long time as compared to other fillers.
Juvéderm will stimulate certain cells (fibroblasts) to make new collagen. Therefore, while the material is in place the treated area is improving because the skin is producing more collagen in the area. Even after the material has worn off, patients will often note that the crease or wrinkle is better than it was before the original treatment.
What Juvéderm Treats
Juvéderm is FDA approved for correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds (such as nasolabial folds). Nasolabial folds are the creases that span from the nose to the corner of the mouth. Juvéderm is also used frequently in off label manners to add volume to areas such as:
- Skin creases – to smooth the skin.
- Cheeks – to add volume to the “apples” and cheek bones.
- Lips – to shape lips and fill lip lines.
- Corners of the mouth- to correct the down turned/sad mouth.
- Lower eyelids (tear trough groove)- to fill hollow areas and correct the tired look.
- Jawline- to minimize the appearance of jowls.
- Chin creases- to improve the “witches chin.”
- Eyebrows- to inflate flattened brows.
- Upper eyelids- to correct hollow eyelids from previous surgery.
- Nose- to add height to the bridge and smooth out a bump.
Filler Treatment Details
The treatment is performed in an examination room and takes about 15-30 minutes.
The area to be treated is numbed according to the patient’s level of tolerance and can include one or more of the following:
- Ice
- Topical anesthesia
- Local anesthesia
How Does it Work?
- We mix specific amounts of saline with Juvéderm that makes the filler more of a liquid. This allows for an “artistic” approach.
- The material is placed in the proper plane so that it fills the fold and does not look puffy.
- We use blunt tipped cannulas that result in less bruising, swelling and discomfort.
- We numb the treatment area so that the patient is as comfortable as possible.
Recovery after Juvéderm
- Immediately afterwards, there will likely be redness of the skin and possibly some bruising. Redness resolves within 24-48 hours whereas bruising can last for several days. With the use of cannulas, there is often no bruising at all. One can usually cover the area with makeup.
- Rarely does the patient feel discomfort after the procedure.
- Lumps and irregularities can occur as well and usually can be massaged out by the injector.
- Juvéderm has a property (hydroscopic) that causes it to absorb water and swell. This may be noticeable initially and typically resolves within 1-2 weeks.
- Most patients are advised not to have the treatment done within 24 hours of an important event so as to avoid others noticing.
If the material is placed too close to the surface of the skin, light may be refracted and cause a bluish color, known as the Tyndall effect. Proper depth of placement, as well as not filling excessively, will avoid this occurrence. If this does happen, or if there is simply too much filler placed, the filler can be dissolved using an agent called hyaluronidase. This enzyme breaks down the material within 24-48 hours and can be used to correct this problem.