Juvederm® is a very effective hyaluronic acid dermal filler that I use to treat facial lines and creases, for lip enlargement and to provide volume enhancement and highlighting in strategic areas. It is the only dermal filler of its type that has been approved by the FDA to last up to one year. Most of my patients prefer it over its competitor, Restylane®, and the results seem to be longer lasting.
Juvederm® is the most common injectable that I used for lip enlargement. Because of the discomfort associated with injecting fillers into the lips, I do nerve blocks to anesthetize the lips so that my patients don’t feel anything. The flip side of this is that the nerve blocks can be slightly uncomfortable and the ensuing numbness will persist not just in the lips but in surrounding areas of the face for a few hours. This can make speech, enunciating and eating more difficult until it wears off.
Fortunately, now there is a great solution to this dilemma. Allergan, the manufacturer of Juvederm®, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) at the beginning of February to market a new formulation of this product that contains the preservative free local anesthetic lidocaine. It is being marketed as Juvederm® XC and contains a powder form of the anesthetic so that there is no dilution of the concentration of the hyaluronic acid.
I have used this Juvederm® XC on my patients including for lip enlargement without any nerve blocks. My patients unanimously found the injections to be very tolerable and comfortable whereas before without a nerve block, they would have been quite uncomfortable. Not only were they relieved in not needing the initial blocks but they also noted that there were no significant effects on their speech or enunciation.
If you would like more information on Juvederm® XC, Radiesse®, Botox® or any plastic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a free consultation with me, you can contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona