Even when you care for your skin and try to make healthy choices, the development of wrinkles and folds is all but inevitable. This is simply the natural course of aging, but you can fight back. Juvederm Vollure, available at Dr. Park Avenue in Franklin Lakes and Brick, NJ, can soften unwanted wrinkles and help you look as youthful as you feel.
What Facial Lines and Wrinkles Can You Treat With Juvederm Vollure?
Formulated with hyaluronic acid (HA), this filler is designed to treat nasolabial folds and parenthesis around the mouth. It is the longest-lasting dermal filler on the market for the mid-face – studies confirm it can last between 18 and 24 months. And as a member of the Juvederm family, it is among the most-often requested aesthetic treatments (Botox usually ranks first, followed by Juvederm).
Vollure works by adding volume from beneath tissues, where it can lift and contour thanks to a technology known as Vycross. This means it is formulated with 10% high and 90% low molecular weights hyaluronic acid. Not only is the gel-like consistency smooth for easy injectability, but it’s also:
- Moldable to facial contours
- Capable of lifting sagging contours
- Predictable in the results it delivers
- Natural in both look and feel
Let’s Talk Vycross Technology
Before Juvederm patented its Vycross technology, dermal fillers were made with 100% high molecular weight HA. They delivered beautiful results but were quickly reabsorbed by the body. Results only dependably lasted several months.
The body is designed to breakdown anything it recognizes as foreign, with its native enzyme hyaluronidase going to work on fillers. But Vycross slows this process because it cross-links each HA molecule to deliver a stronger, more durable serum. The body still breaks it down but does so much less quickly. In addition, high degrees of cross-linking achieve a greater concentration of HA so Vycross is, ultimately, more elastic and cohesive.
The Secret Is In the Formula
Higher concentrations of HA create more lift and structure. And, as we’ve already discussed, tighter cross-linking also creates a longer-lasting treatment. What we haven’t yet touched on is the cohesivity of Vollure, which refers to the product’s malleability to deliver just the right shape for your facial proportions. Cohesive products consist of tighter molecular structures; Restylane, for instance, is a particulate filler and extremely cohesive.
This means that with no small measure of force, Restylane can be contoured and shaped to a patient’s face. This is usually an uncomfortable process that patients strongly dislike, and in some cases, lumps prevail because the formula simply doesn’t spread easily. Juvederm products, on the other hand, are less cohesive and therefore easier to spread. This is much more ideal when eradicating wrinkles in a larger area, like on nasolabial folds.
A Word on Elasticity
You might be wondering why the elasticity of a dermal filler is important. This quality refers to the extent to which the gel can bounce back and re-shape itself as it responds to different facial movements. Traditionally, a high degree of cohesivity equates to less elasticity.
In the mid and lower face regions, we want greater elasticity because people often use these muscles to smile, frown, talk, and eat. Vollure delivers this quality thanks to its molecular structure. It is, in effect, designed to repeatedly return to its desired shape long after it’s molded into place.
How Dermal Fillers Work
Any number of fillers are made with the compound HA. This isn’t a harsh, synthetic chemical, but instead a sugar that exists naturally throughout the body, including between joints and within connective tissues. In the skin, HA supports collagen production and water retention; it’s known as a super hydrator because it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water.
While collagen is crucial to skin health, HA is the most prominent component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). This is the underlying support system that keeps skin firm and supple. As we age, we produce less HA and the ECM subsequently grows weaker. Skin, in turn, becomes drier and looser. Dermal fillers help reverse the signs of aging by replacing what we’ve lost.
The Benefits of Collagen Synthesis
During treatment with Juvederm Vollure, the HA gel gets injected beneath the skin in key areas of concern. The gel’s thickness immediately increases volume to fill in hollows, lines, and wrinkles. This means you’ll leave our office with instantly visible results.
But the real pay-off happens in the weeks and months to come, as HA prompts collagen synthesis in treated areas. This improves skin tone and texture; it also fills gaps within the ECM to restore the skin’s supple structure. Friends, colleagues, and family members won’t know what you’ve had done, but they’ll certainly see a difference as you continue to look increasingly refreshed.
Compatible With All Skin Types
The HA used in Juvederm products is similar to that found in the human body. They’re so alike that we don’t need to perform patient allergy tests prior to commencing treatment. You can therefore rest assured Vollure is compatible with all skin types.
What Makes Vollure Unique?
For years, fillers fell into one of two categories: thick and pliable or thin and spreadable. Vollure fits neatly in the middle of these two extremes. Its consistency can be described as medium, blending smoothly into the treatment site yet remaining thick enough to smooth deep lines and folds. In targeting nasolabial folds, Vollure achieves what most fillers cannot; it smooths and softens an area notoriously difficult to treat.
Plastic surgeons decades ago tried to smooth folds by stretching the lower third of the face during surgery, but doing so tended to turn the corners of the mouth upward. This created an overdone “joker smile” and was eventually abandoned. Modern facelifts help to slightly lift nasolabial folds, but patients can still be left with slightly visible smile lines even after they are healed.
A Clear Alternative to Surgery
For those who want to forego surgery altogether and long for natural-looking results, Vollure is the solution. It retains proportion with your face so it’s hard to tell you’ve even had treatment, but at the same time, it effectively smooths skin.
Clinical trials have revealed Vollure lasts longer than 18 months in more than half of all patients. In these same trials, 82% of patients reported feeling very satisfied with their results at six months, and 68% were still very satisfied at 18 months. Longevity is becoming more important to patients who don’t want to repeat treatment every six months. Instead, Vollure can be repeated annually – or at the timeframe we determine is right for you – to maintain results.
Additional Uses
Vollure can do more than correct nasolabial folds. It can also add subtle volume to cheeks without creating a huge step-off. This means it’s ideal for blending lower facial features with a nicely volumized cheek. Laugh lines, marionette lines, and horizontal chin lines can also be treated with this multi-faceted filler. It’s even a great treatment for adding subtle volume to the lips. And in all applications, patients are able to retain fluid facial expressions and movements.
All the Details You Need
Juvederm Vollure is colorless and acts as a cushioning agent once it’s injected. Because of its non-aggressive nature, you can combine this filler with a range of cosmetic therapies, including Botox and laser hair removal. We’ll craft a treatment plan that provides the results you want, and combining treatments is an ideal way to avoid invasive procedures yet still achieve your anti-aging goals.
Vollure has been approved by the FDA to treat adults over the age of 21. Its effects haven’t been studied in younger patients because skin folds and wrinkles usually develop later in life. As for those patients over 21, no age is the “right” one to start treatment. These general guidelines can help determine if Vollure might be beneficial for you:
- You have parenthesis (wrinkles) around your nose and mouth even when not smiling
- You’ve lost volume in your cheeks
- Your lips have grown thinner
- You have no allergies to lidocaine
- You’re in good health and no pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have reasonable expectations of treatment
Static Versus Dynamic Wrinkles
It’s important that we differentiate between static and dynamic wrinkles because Vollure works best on the former. Static wrinkles are primarily caused by a loss of volume and collagen in the skin. We traditionally blame these losses on aging, but sun exposure, smoking, and genetics can also contribute. Dynamic wrinkles, on the other hand, form after years of repetitive facial movements.
The not-so-affectionate term crows’ feet is given to wrinkles that develop at the corners of the eyes. These exemplify dynamic wrinkles caused by smiling and frowning rather than loss of collagen. We often recommend a neuromodulator like Botox for these wrinkles because it can smooth visible lines by relaxing the muscles. Vollure, meanwhile, can be used on other facial areas to refresh your whole appearance.
The Consultation and Therapy
Treatment begins with a consultation, which gives our team members a chance to know you and vice versa. We’ll use this time to discuss your treatment goals and health history. This is also an opportunity to ask questions, explore your options, and learn how Vollure can benefit you specifically.
Once we’ve determined Vollure is a good match for your needs, we’ll map out those parts of your face to be treated. The first injection helps numb the treatment site with lidocaine – all Juvederm fillers are formulated with this numbing agent. The rest of the therapy will pass quickly and comfortably as we ensure neither too much nor too little serum is used at each injection point.
Rapid Recovery
HA fillers do not require a period of recovery, and you can resume most of your normal activities as soon as you leave our office, with the exception of alcohol consumption and strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours. You should also avoid sun exposure, drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated, and stick to a healthy daily skincare routine. If you need help choosing the products right for your skin type, ask one of our staff members for help.
Fight the Signs of Aging
Juvederm Vollure was designed to fulfill one purpose: smooth away deeper wrinkles and folds that other treatments can’t target. Its specialized formula helps lift and fill areas of concern, but it’s also ideal for erasing lines and subtly plumping lips. And it’s safe enough for nearly all patients. Take the first step and schedule your consultation today by calling Dr. Park Avenue in Franklin Lakes and Brick, NJ.
Leave a Reply