Juvederm is an anti-aging treatment where hyaluronic acid gel is injected to smoothen wrinkles and folds in facial tissues. By adding volume to facial tissue, juvederm gives a smoother facial appearance. Usually a single treatment is sufficient to smoothen wrinkles, which lasts for six months.
Use of Juvederm during pregnancy, lactating women and in patients under 18 years of age is not advised. Neither should patients with a history of excessive scarring like hypertrophic scarring and keloid formation.
The injection
Juvederm injections may cause some discomfort during and after you take the injection. A fine needle is used to directly inject juvederm into the skin, and to reduce injection discomfort. If required, your doctor may numb the area using anesthesia before giving the injection to minimize discomfort.
You should avoid any strenuous exercise, excessive sun and heat exposure and taking alcoholic beverages for 24 hours after getting your injection. They can cause swelling, itching and redness at the injection site. Placing an ice pack provides relief from swelling; however it is better to ask your physician if it is safe to use make up after the treatment.
Side-effects
There are not many side effects associated with juvederm; if any, they are mild or moderate, and last only seven days or less. The common side effects are redness, firmness, swelling, lumps, bums, itching, discoloration, pain and tenderness.
People suffering from allergies marked with a history of anaphylaxis, those suffering from multiple severe allergies and those with a history of allergies to gram positive bacterial proteins are not advised to use juvederm.
Precautions to avoid complications
However like any other injection procedure, there is a risk of an infection after getting your juvederm injection. So here are some precautions worth taking to avoid complications after your injection.
Doctors advise not taking aspirin or ibuprofen for some time before getting your juvederm injection to avoid prolonged bleeding and increased bleeding or bruising at the injection site.
If you plan to have laser treatment, chemical peeling or any other procedure after your juvederm treatment, there is a possibility of an inflammation occurring at the site of treatment.
As there is a possibility of an increased risk of infection after the injection, patients under immunosuppressive therapy and other therapies used to decrease the body’s immune responses, should use juvederm with caution.