Center of Dermatology and Laser Surgery of Philadelphia
Written by Dr. Ringpfeil
You can now regain your youthful appearance by reducing deep facial wrinkles, restoring volume to eliminate darker areas under the eyes, and plumping your lips with Juvederm or Restylane – two of the cosmetic fillers that revolutionized the specialty of cosmetic surgery. Its younger cousin, Belotero Balance, has replaced injectable collagen.
With no downtime, contouring fillers replace what until the beginning of the millennium was possible to achieve only with invasive surgeries or facial implants.
The effect of Restylane, Juvederm, and Belotero Balance are appreciated within 1-10 days after injection. After several months, these synthetic hyaluronic acid fillers are naturally degraded by our body’s own hyaluronidase enzyme. To maintain results, these fillers need to be renewed every 6-9 months.
| price / syringe | lasts (months) | # treatments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juvederm | $680 (1.0 ml) | 6-12 | 1 |
| Restylane | $600 (1.0 ml) | 6-9 | 1 |
| Boletero | $680 (1.0 ml) | 6-9 | 1 |
| Radiesse | $920 (1.5 ml) | 6-12 | 1 |
Purchase of a full syringe is required. When only a partial syringe is needed, the remainder can be injected to another area.
The downtime and durability of Restylane and Juvederm differ slightly due to the different amounts of cross-linked hyaluronic acid in each. I like both Restylane and Juvederm and in my opinion, both have their place. Although they can be applied to the same areas, I might favor one over the other. Restylane and its finer counterpart, Restylane Silk, work well for under eye troughs. Restylane Silk and Belotero Balance are great for etched lines, such as the vertical ones above and below the lips, as well as the ones that some people create around their mouth. Juvederm ultra plus is my favorite for deeper nasolabial troughs and nothing comes close to Juvederm ultra for reflation of a thinned lip.
Treatment with Restylane, Juvederm, and Belotero Balance is easy and safe for nearly everyone. Some swelling, redness, and bruising may occur and can last up to 14 days.
The only contraindication to these fillers is an allergy to numbing medicine which is factory premixed with these fillers except Belotero Balance. An allergy to hyaluronic acid is almost impossible, yet those with a myriad of allergies are not suited to receive filler injections as their immune system is already in overdrive. Avoidance of aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E, and St John’s wort for 7 days prior to the procedure is the only preparatory step necessary.
