You’ve tried seemingly every anti-aging cream and serum on the market, but you can’t kick your unwanted wrinkles to the curb. You’re desperate for results, but you’re not ready for surgery. If your wrinkles are caused by volume loss, you may be a good candidate for Juvederm injections at Southeastern Institute of Restorative Medicine in Dothan, AL. Today, we’re taking a closer look at this innovative, FDA-approved line of anti-aging treatments. Here’s what you need to know.
How Often Can You Get Juvederm?
One of the most exciting things about Juvederm injections is how long the results last. The treatment is quick and painless, but you still don’t want to invest your time and hard-earned money on results that will fade in just a couple of short months.
Fortunately, the results of this hyaluronic acid-based injectable will last for six months to two years depending on the specific formula used to treat your concerns. Notably, you can also take steps to extend the longevity of your treatment by leading a healthy lifestyle and making a point to care for your skin after your treatment.
Nothing Lasts Forever
It is important to understand that it doesn’t matter whether you seek dermal fillers or surgery to reverse the signs of facial aging. Not even cosmetic surgery can provide permanent results. However, it can take up to six months to see the final results of invasive anti-aging procedures, and you have to take several weeks off from work and away from hobbies to recover.
On the other hand, with injectable dermal fillers, there is no pain, discomfort, or downtime. Also, the treatment is incredibly convenient. It is a much better investment of your time and money to get dermal filler injections, even those that only provide results that last for six months.
Hyaluronic Acid Degradation
Your metabolism, among other factors, affects how quickly your body will degrade the injected hyaluronic acid. Another considerable degradation rate factor is your skin hydration and health. The more dehydrated your skin is, the faster this polysaccharide will be depleted. Similarly, your skin will metabolize this substance faster if your skin needs to be healed.
Yet another significant factor in how long hyaluronic acid will remain in your body is how well you protect your skin from sun damage. Also, it is important to note that your results will fade faster if the hyaluronic acid is injected into a highly mobile area of the face, like the lips, and the results will last longer if a more robust formula is injected.
Your Expectations Should Be Realistic
The reliability of this treatment’s results is another exciting benefit, but you still need to have realistic expectations about their longevity. Irrespective of your areas of concern, you can expect your results to fade slowly once enough hyaluronic acid has been metabolized by the skin. Here’s a brief look at the longevity of ideal results you can realistically expect:
- Ultra – six months to a year
- Voluma – two years
- Vollure – 1.5 to two years
- Volbella – six months to a year
Steps You Can Take to Extend the Longevity of Your Results
Most people want to take steps to extend the longevity of their ideal results. If you’re like most people, you should know that touching your face as little as possible is one of the best things you can do to achieve your goal. It is of the utmost importance that you keep pressure off of your face for no fewer than 24 hours post-injections.
Once the filler has settled into the treatment areas, you should also strongly consider not using dermal rollers. Here are some other steps you can take to ensure the longevity of your ideal results.
Minimize Your Exposure to the Sun
An astonishing nine out of 10 age-related skin problems can be attributed to unprotected sun exposure. Even worse, evidence suggests that unprotected sun exposure causes the skin to break down dermal fillers faster.
Remember, your skin will metabolize the helpful polysaccharide at an increased rate if it needs to be healed, and UV rays seriously damage the skin. Ideally, you should wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily (SPF between 30 and 55), reapply it regularly, and spend as little time as possible outdoors between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.
Eat Nutritiously
You can also increase the longevity of your ideal results significantly by eating nutritiously. Specifically, it is helpful to get your recommended daily allowance of bioavailable protein and vitamin C so your skin has the building blocks it needs to create collagen, a supportive, mesh-like protein.
Ideally, your diet should be high in lean meats, fruits, cruciferous vegetables, and whole grains. You will also benefit from minimizing your consumption of highly processed foods.
Moderate Your Exercise
Regular exercise is incredibly important for your overall health, but you must not forget that exercise increases your metabolism. You must also remember that the higher your metabolism is, the sooner your skin will metabolize the injected hyaluronic acid. It is particularly important to moderate your exercise during the first seven days following your injection, so you give the filler the opportunity to really settle in and start working its magic.
Take Steps to Reduce Stress
As hard as it is to do, you need to take steps to reduce stress. When you’re stressed, your body responds by increasing the production of a hormone called cortisol, often referred to aptly as the stress hormone. This hormone affects your body negatively in many ways, including decreasing your skin’s production of collagen.
Excessive levels of cortisol also cause your skin to metabolize hyaluronic acid faster and result in wrinkles, folds, and other signs of volume loss. Ways you may be able to reduce stress include meditating, journaling, putting together a puzzle, going for a stroll outdoors, or reading your favorite book.
Concentrate on Caring for Your Skin
The bottom line is that the healthier your skin is, the longer your ideal results will last. While you may want to avoid dermal rollers, there are ways you can level up your skincare game. For instance, you can moisturize your skin once or twice per day with a moisturizer that contains collagen or hyaluronic acid.
Such skincare products won’t reverse the signs of aging because they can’t penetrate the skin deeply enough, but they do an excellent job hydrating the skin and maintaining the integrity of the moisture barrier.
What Preparation Steps Are Required?
There are numerous preparation steps required before your injections are administered, but these rules are easy to comply with. One of the most important preparation steps you must adhere to is not taking any blood-thinners, like MAOIs, vitamin E supplements, fish oil supplements, or NSAIDs in the days leading up to your injections.
It is also extremely important that you do not consume alcohol or tobacco products within 24 hours of your scheduled injections. Also, you should make sure you don’t consume too much salt or caffeine within 24 hours of your scheduled injection session. If you have naturally high blood pressure, consider adding a little more potassium into your diet to counteract some of the sodium in your diet.
Who Is a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
As a general rule of thumb, you will be considered a good candidate for one or more of these fillers if you are at least 22 years of age, fairly healthy, and do not have a history of anaphylaxis. It is important to not have a history of severe allergic reactions due to the lidocaine (injectable numbing medication) present in the formulas.
If you are allergic to lidocaine, let us know during your initial consultation, and we will work with you to identify a long-lasting, effective anti-aging treatment. Besides discussing your medical history, we will also verify your candidacy by evaluating your areas of concern and discussing your aesthetic goals.
Learn More Today About This Highly Effective Injectable Filler
Juvederm is the ideal anti-aging treatment if you are concerned about volume loss-related wrinkles. You also may qualify for this treatment if you wish to volumize your lips or cheeks.
To learn more about this highly effective treatment that lasts for six to 24 months, please contact us today at Southeastern Institute of Restorative Medicine in Dothan, AL to set up an initial appointment. We can’t wait to meet you, learn all about your cosmetic goals, and craft a care plan tailored to your skin that allows you to achieve those goals.