“NO PAIN, NO GAIN” CHALLENGED WITH NEW FORMUALTION OF SMOOTH GEL HYALURONIC ACID DERMAL FILLER WITH LOCAL ANESTHETIC LIDOCAINE
Four Seasons Hotel, NYC
Two weeks ago, a gal pal …who is the type who maybe, MAYBE…wears lipstick two times a year...confided in us--- that she has something MAJOR to dish.
We conjured up über actions--- like quitting her job and moving to some far-flung nation…
…but for her, the big deal was thinking about doing SOMETHING about those deep wrinkles that ran from the tip of her nose to right below her mouth (the nasolabial folds and marionette lines).
Well now, the FDA approved dermal fillers of choice for many MDs, Juvéderm® Ultra (for fine lines/wrinkles) and Juvéderm® Ultra Plus (better for deeper lines/folds) ---both made from the key component hyaluronic acid (HA) a naturally occurring, water retaining, biodegradable complex sugar found in the human body and mammals---
…is available in a new formulation, Juvéderm® XC that contains 0.3% preservative free lidocaine--- for a more comfortable patient experience.
Our BFFs timing is perfect.
WHY this is a big deal…
According to two very experienced and congenial MDs at yesterday’s launch, the NYC based Dr. Amy Wechsler (Board Certified in Psychiatry and Dermatology) and Birmingham Michigan/NYC based Dr. Charles Boyd, MD, M.B.A. and F.A.C.S. (and a clinical investigator on the FDA double blind study that measured patient comfort and efficacy),
…Juvéderm® XC will be a game changer (our words)…
(1) The numbing effect of the new formulation takes place within seconds (“three” according to press materials)…thus largely sparing patents the pain associated with getting a needle in one’s face, AND saving time associated with sitting around waiting for that numbing cream to kick in, ice to freeze the nerves etc…and a more efficient injection process for the doctor too.
(2) Reduced stress/pain …maybe the number one reason peeps avoid dermal Fillers…. as “the biggest barrier is fear.”
(3) The long lasting, smooth consistency gel lasts up to a year according to FDA studies, FYI…some practitioners have been mixing liquid lidocaine into syringes prior to the arrival of Juvéderm® XC. Big difference…this formulation is not diluted…as the numbing anesthetic is in powdered form when mixed in.
WHAT ELSE:
Interesting questions were asked during a demo on a guest ---who granted, was a cool customer---but revealed she “felt nothing” while having Juvéderm® XC injected in her nasolabial folds with a 30 gauge needle.
We asked “how much?” Dr. Boyd was using…and he clued us in that he typically injects at least one syringe per side…. and that “in general, 'we' tend to under inject the folds…and that is the number one reason patients are not satisfied with injections.”
IMHO: Another reason that anyone considering undergoing treatments, including injectable fillers ---use only experienced healthcare professionals…they know how slightly swollen the area being treated--- might initially get, absorption rates over time etc. Let alone, plumping up the right area with finesse and natural looking results.
We also learned that costs typically range from $600-$1000 per syringe…pricey…but that the effects of Juvéderm® injections tend to be accumulative--- so that a touch-up usually won’t require the same amount as the initial treatment.
Plus…anecdotal observations that HA dermal fillers might actually stimulate one’s own collagen to replicate…in a way, self-correcting a wrinkle.
Areas of treatment where the doctors mentioned Juvéderm® has been deployed also include cheeks (volume), earlobes (to fill in torn holes for pieced ears), along the jaw lines, to fill in eye bags and hands. (FYI: Considered "off-label uses" not FDA approved).
Injections are typically placed in the mid to deep layers of the dermis.
Both doctors also commented that they saw “no more bruising” using Juvéderm® XC vs. the original Juvéderm® Ultra of Ultra Plus.
SPECIAL NOTE:
We had a private chat with Dayna Devon, the super nice, mother of two, LA based Emmy winning television correspondent who is the spokesperson for Juvéderm® XC.
We could not believe she had acne scars---she looked naturally flawless…and trust us, make-up only does so much…and after ten days of backstage interviews during the recent NY Fashion Week shows…we saw first hand how good skin is the key to it all from the neck up.
Dayna Devon considers Juvéderm® XC “an empowering product” that helps her “look like the best version of myself.”
AMEN to that.
Image from Juvéderm® website
CODA:
The guest who was treated ---she looked like a slightly younger version of her untreated self…and was good to go right off the chair.
Words, Judith Ecochard, Images from Allergan
INFO: