Juvederm in Lone Tree, CO

Juvederm is family of hyaluronic acid gel fillers made by the pharmaceutical company Allergan. Each product in this collection of fillers adds volume or smooths lines in different areas of the face. The thicker forms are used to add volume or contour large areas such as the cheeks and chin and the more liquid forms are used for fine lines such as lip lines or smile lines.

What is hyaluronic acid (HA)?

HA is a naturally occurring substance in the body that helps maintain moisture in the skin. HA is broken down at a very rapid rate in the human body, so in order to ensure that the filler lasts it is cross linked with other substances.

The consistency of HA fillers vary in thickness but are typically soft and gel like, and when used correctly provide a very natural appearing result. They are also considered very safe, and being the most common, they are the most studied.

How long does Juvederm last?

Longevity of each products is based on optimal correction; which means the amount needed to completely correct a deficit. The average person loses about 10% of volume by the age of 35 and an additional 5-10% every 5-10 years thereafter. Still, the amount will vary based on genetics, lifestyle, age, etc.

Each of the HA fillers in the Juvederm family will last different amount of times ranging from 6-12 months for Juvederm Ultra in the lips to up to 2 years for Juvederm Voluma in the cheeks. See Filler 101 for a complete list of each product and how long it lasts.

How much does Juvederm cost?

Cost of treatment is not just dependent on the product used but also the skill and expertise of the injector. On average, a syringe of filler is $600-800. Consider doing several consultations with different providers and pick someone that is a good fit for you, who listens to you and works with you to come up with a treatment plan. To see estimated costs for each brand see below.

Is Juvederm the best filler?

While Juvederm might be one of the most “popular” fillers in the aesthetic industry, “most popular” does not make it the best (just the best at marketing). And since we do not work for Allergan, or any other pharmaceutical company, we choose the safest and most effective products for our clients over “popular” or “best” brands.

So why is Juvederm NOT the best filler?

In simple terms, Juvederm is not the best filler option due to their Vycross technology. Though this technology makes it last really long in the body, it is not the safest. Historically, Vycross technology causes the most complications such as:

• Nodules
• Hypersensitivity
• Granulomas

This is not just our opinion, even though we have seen and witnessed many cases of it, it has been found in the research, too. For more information on this topic, read the following article “Delayed Complications for Recent FDA-Approved HA Dermal Fillers” found HERE at Practice Update. Also see THIS article that talks about increased filler reactions with Vycross technology.

At Elite, we tend to steer our clients towards cleaner, less-additive product options, instead. Fillers such as RHA contain HA that is very similar to the HA produced in our bodies, thus the risk of unnecessary reactions are much lower than Juvederm fillers. Other HA filler products that we commonly use and also love include Versa and Belotero.

• We pride ourselves in carrying product options that are cleaner and less toxic for overall client safety.

Does Juvederm work well with other fillers?

Juvederm has been know to not work well in conjunction with other HA fillers. Like mentioned above, the Juvederm Vycross technology carries a higher risk for adverse effects and complications in our bodies. It is recommended to dissolve all old Juvederm filler before injecting other filler into desired areas. If however, the results from the Juvederm filler are good, then our NP injectors recommend waiting on getting any further filler injections in the same area until it has had time to mostly dissolve.

Does Juvederm have to be dissolved to go away?

In many cases, yes. Due to the Vycross technology used in Juvederm products, we have seen that the filler is not easily broken down by the body itself, resulting in left-over filler from years past. Normally HA fillers are easily broken down by the body within 12 months (give or take). Our NP injectors usually HAVE to dissolve Juvederm fillers. 

Does Juvederm have a high safety profile?

Juvederm fillers are FDA-approved and are considered safe when injected by a medically trained professional. Our Nurse Practitioner providers at Elite prefer other filler products over Juvederm, because they tend to have a cleaner and safer profile with less reactions post injections.

• Our NP injectors take into account total body wellness and health when it comes to aesthetic treatments that we provide, and like to offer clients cleaner, less toxic products when possible.

What are the different types of Juvederm Fillers?

Juvederm Voluma:

As implied by the name, this filler it is primarily used to restore volume and is the thickest of the HA fillers in this family

• Lasts: up to 2 years with optimal correction

• Average cost: $800-1400/syringe

• Average used per treatment: 2 syringes

Juvederm Ultra:

This is a HA filler that is FDA approved for use in and around the lips. It is probably the most common lip filler on the market.

• Lasts: up to 1 year with optimal correction

• Average cost: $600-800/syringe

• Average used per treatment: 1 syringe

Juvederm Ultra Plus:

HA filler that is slightly thicker than Ultra and is most commonly used in the nasolabrial folds and around the mouth (i.e. smile lines, marionette lines).

• Lasts: Up to one year with optimal correction

• Average cost: $600-750/syringe

• Average used per treatment: 1-2 syringes

Juvederm Vollure:

A very soft filler used to diminish the appearance of fine lines around the nose and mouth.

• Lasts: up to 18 months with optimal correction

• Average cost: $800-1000/syringe

• Average used per treatment: 1-2 syringes

Juvederm Volbella:

This is a soft filler used for lip enhancement, wrinkles and often used off-label for tear troughs.

• Lasts: up to 12-18 months with optimal correction

• Average cost: $600-800/syringe

• Average used per treatment: 1 syringe

Is Juvederm reversible?

Yes, it can be reversed with hyaluronidase. However, the Vycross technology in some of the Juvederm fillers makes it more difficult to dissolve than other Hyaluronic Acid (HA) based fillers and it can take multiple sessions. For more information about reversing Botox and fillers, read this article HERE.

What are the side effects of Juvederm?

Most side effects are mild such as: redness, swelling, bruising, and tenderness but more serious side effects such as vascular occlusion are possible with any filler. Juvederm also has an increased risk of granulomas, nodules, and hypersensitivity reactions than many other HA fillers. An experienced injector will take every precaution to prevent side effects and know how to respond in case they do occur.

Can Vegans use Juvederm?

Most HA fillers (i.e. Juvederm) are made from bacteria and not from animal products like collagen is. So in theory they could be used by vegans. However, products may be tested on animals by certain companies. Click here for Allergan’s statement on animal testing.

Why we stopped using Juvederm fillers:

By: Ali Wagstaff, NP

When I first started my business I initially used a lot of Allegan products, believing my peers and the pharmaceutical reps when I was told it was the Gold Standard to work with. In all fairness, Botox and Juvederm had been around a long time and there was a lot of research on it. I also wanted to learn with the most popular products so that as I got better and used other brands I could compare to the “Gold Standard”.

I did a lot of my own research of course and brought up my concerns with the reps about the side effects. They assured me that was with all fillers and that it was likely “injector error” causing side effects such as granulomas. Being borderline arrogant coming from a hospital/critical care background, I was confident that I would not see the side effects from “injector error” due to my stringent protocols. So I continued to use Juvederm. It also didn’t hurt that as a new business Allergan was the most generous with free samples and product to train with. 

After a few years, though I was using other fillers in my practice, I did still continue to use Juvederm but was not as keen on it.  I noticed that when I used other brands in the face/lips that people had less swelling and pain compared with Juvederm. The swelling phase in the lips was also much shorter with the newer fillers compared to Juvederm. In addition, I was part of more injector groups and was seeing a lot of case studies where people were having late side effects after Juvederm. I started to question the “injector error” comments the reps made, but because I personally hadn’t had those problems, I kept using it some.

Then, I personally had a client reaction that changed everything! This woman was a healthy 40 year old with no prior medical history and had had dermal filler and Botox in the past with no problems. I did full face filler on her: Radiesse to cheeks and Jawline, Versa in the lips and Nasolabrial folds, Juvederm Volbella for lip lines and tear troughs.

She did well initially but then about 8 months after the injections she was having some health issues and got diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder. She came in to see me reporting a “filler reaction”. On assessment she has extremely puffy eyes and a puffy upper lip. It could have just been an allergic reaction to anything, but on palpation (feeling), she had hard lumpy nodules ONLY where the Juvederm had been injected. They were not red, hot, or showing any signs of infection= I did not make an injecting error by introducing bacteria, this was from the filler itself. I dissolved the product and started her on steroids and had her take her records to her new doctor. They did not feel the product caused her health issues, rather she reacted because of the health issues. However, with 2 other fillers in her face that did NOT react, it was my final straw for Juvederm and we stopped carrying it.

Are payment plans available for Juvederm treatments?

Yes, we offer Cherry Payment Plans for our clients, for more information click the button below. Additionally, we also offer discounted rates with our packaged options when multiple procedures are booked together.

Elite Medical and Aesthetics is a premier Med Spa in Lone Tree, CO that takes a holistic approach to natural results. We are proud of our all nursing staff of NPs and RNs with safety as our #1 priority.

• Learn more about Juvederm in Lone Tree, CO by booking a consultation below