The vast majority of people experience changes in their facial features as they grow older. Although greater age comes with several benefits like success, wealth, and wisdom, many of us struggle with excess wrinkles, sagging skin, and a loss of volume in the face. Fortunately, there is a safe and effective treatment available, called Juvederm Voluma. Dr. DeGraaff at Advanced Life Clinic in Huntsville, AL, has many years of experience with this injectable.
Juvederm Voluma: An Innovative and Effective Treatment
Aside from Botox, injectables are the most popular cosmetic treatments in the world due to their effectiveness and the minimal risk and downtime involved. There are many options out there, each catering to a different need or issue. Voluma is a smooth gel that works to restore the volume of a patient’s face, restoring the plump and youthful look of both the skin and the tissue underneath.
It is part of the Juvederm family of injectable and uses hyaluronic acid to revitalize the skin and get rid of the tired look that sometimes comes with greater age. The major advantage of using this substance is that your body also produces it, which means that you are unlikely to experience significant side effects or an allergic reaction. Instead, it will work to retain water in the area it is injected in, thereby helping to plump up the tissue.
How Hyaluronic Acid Works
The hyaluronic acid injected into the deep layers of your skin works to replace the same substance, which you produce less of as you age. It is a smooth gel that spreads out around the area where you most need it, filling out your face and restoring the body’s natural capacity for water retention. What’s more, the presence of this substance encourages your own hyaluronic acid to work harder, thus creating a double effect and improving the quality of your skin.
Reasons for Loss of Volume
As we have seen, Voluma works to restore the volume in your cheeks, nasolabial folds, and around your mouth. But why is this necessary in the first place and what causes the loss of volume? At what age does this aging process start? Let’s explore the science behind these questions.
In short, there are three proteins that are produced in great quantities when we are young. Collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid all work to keep the skin looking smooth and young, but once we turn 20, they start to decrease by 1% per year, causing structural changes in our face.
Collagen, Elastin, and Hyaluronic Acid
The most common protein in our skin is called collagen and it anchors all the different layers of the skin together. In our youth, we have plenty of this and the top layer, the epidermis, lies smoothly on the middle layer, not shifting or wrinkling permanently even when we move our muscles in the face. It also helps to keep the fat pads in our deepest skin layer in place.
In addition to collagen, we have another protein called elastin, which keeps the skin pliable and flexible. This helps our face to snap back into its original shape after we contort it into a facial expression. The third component that helps keep our youthful look is hyaluronic acid itself, which is actually a sugar. It attracts water and can hold extremely high quantities of it, allowing our tissue to remain hydrated and plump.
The Aging Process
In addition to the fact that we lose 1% of collagen production each year starting in our 20s, women lose another 30% during menopause. This means that the protein is less tightly packed in the face, particularly in areas such as the nasolabial folds. When we move the facial muscles to create expressions, the remaining collagen is pushed around, which eventually creates crevices.
In addition, the fat pads start to succumb to gravity and the areas around our neck, eyebrows, jowls and mid-face will start to sag. Although many of those areas will change visibly, the contours in the middle of your face undergo a more subtle shift that you don’t initially notice. You may be aware that you look older and more tired, but not quite sure why. This could be because your collagen net can no longer hold its contours and your cheeks have lost volume.
The Uses of Voluma
This is where Voluma comes in. This dermal filler has been specifically created for this purpose and can restore the contours of your face and cheeks. Unlike some other injectables, it is designed to be applied in the deeper layers of your skin, where the hyaluronic acid will work to lift your features back up to the way they used to look. It is usually applied to the apex of your cheeks, creating the high cheekbone look that so many people strive to achieve.
When you smile, there is a part of your face that rounds out. In some people, this shape is completely lost when their face is at rest, giving them a tired and drawn look. With Voluma, it can be restored and your face can look filled in, no matter if it is more round, oval, square or heart-shaped.
Do I Really Need Voluma?
You may be wondering whether Juvederm Voluma is necessary or whether it would be more effective to target other, more wrinkled areas. The middle of the face is tricky because the changes in this area are so gradual, so you may not even know that this is your problem area.
If you are in doubt, make an appointment at your local clinic, so that you can find out whether Voluma is the ideal Juvederm treatment for you. Dr. DeGraaff has years of experience and will be able to tell you whether you suffer from a loss of volume in your cheeks.
Your Treatment and Results
Once you know that this is the treatment for you, you’ll be booked in for an initial consultation, where you’ll need to provide a detailed account of your health history. Your skin will be examined and you will be able to book an appointment for your Voluma treatment. Not every patient is the same, so you may only need one syringe or you may need several injections on each side of your face. This will be discussed and determined beforehand.
Before the Treatment
In the weeks and days leading up to your appointment, there are several things you’ll need to consider. Firstly, don’t do any harsh facial treatments such as microneedling or microdermabrasion for 14 days before your Voluma injections, as these may cause some natural inflammation that puffs up your skin and prevents your doctor from seeing how much volume you need.
Another important factor is the drugs and medications you take. Anything that thins your blood should be paused to prevent bruising during your treatment, even if your medication is natural or over-the-counter. Some examples of substances you should avoid are ibuprofen, fish oil, ginseng, large amounts of Vitamin E, and aspirin. We will give you a full list before your appointment and advise you on what to take instead.
What To Expect During the Treatment
The first thing your doctor will do is apply a numbing cream to your face so that the whole process will be pain-free for you. You will need to wait for 15-20 minutes until the cream has done its job. Next, the injections will be made at strategic points in your cheek area. Because Juvederm contains lidocaine, it also works to numb your face from the inside, so that the whole treatment should be completely painless.
One of the amazing benefits of Juvederm Voluma is that the changes to your face are immediate, so they can be monitored throughout the session and the injections can be adjusted if necessary. Once the injections are complete, you should be free to go as there is no downtime involved. In fact, many patients choose to have Voluma done on their lunch break and then return to work immediately afterward.
Recovery Time
There is no recovery time involved, but you will need to keep a few things in mind to ensure that you get the best results possible. The most important time, which determines the success of this Juvederm treatment, is the 24-hour period directly afterward. It is imperative that you stay out of the sun and avoid doing any strenuous types of exercise. If you follow these guidelines, nothing should stand in the way between you and your perfect, youthful face.
In the long term, there are several things that will affect the effectiveness of the treatment. Although most people experience the symptoms of aging, there are certain factors that speed up the process significantly. To support your treatment, refrain from smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and eating a lot of processed, unhealthy food. Also, try to drink enough water to keep your face hydrated and get enough sleep so that you retain your alert features.
Your Results
As mentioned, the results of Voluma are immediate and start to show up even before your appointment has ended. This means that you can achieve a natural and optimal effect right away, and you can walk out of the clinic looking years younger than when you arrived. Although results vary, most clients report that they feel rejuvenated immediately after their treatment and that the results settle into the final shape within a few weeks.
Repeating the Treatment
Juvederm Voluma is specifically created to be an effective and long-lasting treatment, and you can expect the results to stay in place for at least one and often two years. When you start to notice your cheeks sagging again, it is time to book your next consultation and repeat the injections. Whether you have had your initial treatment with us or have recently moved to the area, you can get in touch if you think you need a top-up.
Get Your Desired Contours Now
If you’re looking for a way to plump up your cheeks and increase the volume in your face, Juvederm Voluma is the treatment for you. The minimally invasive, safe, and effective dermal filler has been created specifically to enhance the facial features and restore the plump, youthful look of the cheeks. After your appointment, you will walk out with immediate and long-lasting results.
If you’re ready to get started, contact Advanced Life Clinic in Huntsville, AL today to set up your initial Juvederm Voluma consultation. Dr. Hayley DeGraaff and her experienced team will be more than happy to discuss your options and goals with you and help you to regain those sought-after high cheekbones of your youth.
