Soft, full, youthful lips are something most people covet—and something a lucky few have naturally. For the majority of people, however, problems like thin lips, signs of aging, or poor contour can cause poor self-esteem, lack of confidence, or a nagging unhappiness with the appearance of the lips. Fortunately, there are simple injectable treatments available that can help enhance and augment the lips for better fullness and contour, all without surgery or invasive procedures. Though many people have seen excellent lip augmentation results from traditional hyaluronic acid fillers, Juvederm Volbella is specially formulated to give the lips a natural, youthful appearance. We offer this effective new treatment at our office in Chevy Chase to give patients the best results possible for lip enhancement.
What is Volbella?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in the skin, which helps give skin the hydration and volume it needs to stay youthful and beautiful. Most fillers are made from a hyaluronic acid formula, and Volbella is no exception. Made with Allergan’s Vycross technology, this new Juvederm formula is optimized for lip enhancement and augmentation.
Volbella is different from other lip fillers because of the manufacturer’s proprietary Vycross technology, which is formulated to specifically address patients’ needs. Vycross is used to make a smooth filler that naturally augments the lips and leaves long-lasting results. Volbella is also the first FDA approved filler to treat vertical “smoker” lines around the lips.
Why Choose Volbella?
With the wide range of fillers on the market for filling in facial wrinkles and augmenting the lips, it can be difficult to choose the product that is right for you and your needs. Volbella is a great choice for lip rejuvenation or lip enhancement, since it is specifically designed to work in the high-movement lip area and provide long-lasting results. Volbella can treat these cosmetic lip concerns:
- Perioral lines (smoker’s lines)
- Thin lips
- Uneven lips
- Poor lip contour
Patients can expect subtle augmentation, reduction of vertical wrinkles, and improved definition (such as a defined Cupid ’s bow appearance). The results of Volbella lip injections typically last much longer than many other lip augmentation injectables. While many injectables can last for about 6 months or so in the high-movement lip area, Volbella can last up to 12 months or more before another treatment is needed to maintain results. Patients choose Volbella because it’s enhancement they don’t have to think about more than once or twice a year.
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Are You a Candidate?
Injectable fillers are extremely safe, and most people have no problem tolerating Volbella treatments. However, before you move forward with the procedure, it’s important to assess your candidacy for the treatment. People with a history of severe allergies should not receive Volbella injections, including people with allergies to lidocaine or gram-positive bacterial proteins. Your plastic surgeon will go over your health history with you prior to scheduling your appointment, to ensure that the treatment will be safe for you. For your own safety, it is essential that you disclose any information about potential risk, like medications you are taking, a history of severe scarring, or other issues. Finally, patients should have realistic expectations for the results of the procedure, and communicate with their plastic surgeon about any concerns they have before and after the procedure.
Volbella Consultation
If you think Volbella could be a good option for you, then your next step should be scheduling a consultation with Dr. Schoenfeld. During your consultation, you’ll find out whether you’re a candidate for this lip injections. You and Dr. Schoenfeld will discuss your goals for the treatment, and you’ll be able to learn more about what you can expect from the procedure and your results.
During this meeting, you should make asking questions a priority. Cosmetic treatments are different for each patient, and this is a great opportunity to ask specific questions about your needs and concerns. Your consultation will also give you an opportunity to get to know Dr. Schoenfeld, our staff, and our facilities.
The Volbella Procedure
The injection process for Volbella is straightforward and fairly brief, but it takes a skilled hand to deliver great results and minimal side effects. The filler is formulated with lidocaine, a local anesthetic, which makes the treatment more comfortable. For most people, no anesthetic is needed to tolerate the treatment, however, some patients prefer to arrive early to their appointment and receive numbing cream to make the procedure more comfortable.
A very fine needle is used to deliver the injection, allowing the surgeon maximum control over the amount of product, and the location of the treatment. Once all the product has been injected, patients can return to most everyday activities. The treatment itself should be brief.
Recovery & Downtime
Because Volbella is delivered using a non-invasive treatment, it involves few side effects, and no downtime. Patients may return to normal activities immediately, but are advised to avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol, and sun/heat exposure during the first 24 hours. Normal side effects include swelling, discomfort, bruising, redness, itching, dryness, and lumps or bumps. These side effects are temporary, and should resolve within a few weeks.
FAQs
If you live near Chevy Chase, MD, RENU by Dr. Schoenfeld offers Volbella among its services and is conveniently located at 5454 Wisconsin Ave #1625, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.
Side effects from Volbella injections are typically only mild to moderate, and disappear within a few weeks following treatment. There are some more serious complications that can occur from application of the product, including injection into a blood vessel. This can have serious and permanent effects, but the risk is greatly reduced by choosing an experienced plastic surgeon to perform the procedure.
Some patients have a facial rejuvenation plan that involves a variety of treatments for comprehensive results. Volbella can easily be combined with other treatments, as long as your plastic surgeon feels it is safe. This is something you should discuss during your consultations.
Volbella is approved for patients age 21 and up. Many teenagers are interested in lip augmentation, but the product should not be used on younger patients.
The injection process typically involves only minimal discomfort, thanks to the needle used and the anesthetic lidocaine the Volbella formula contains.
While the risks involved with Volbella are minimal, you can reduce your risk for complications greatly by choosing an experienced, skilled plastic surgeon. You will also get better, longer-lasting results by choosing an expert to perform your procedure. It is easy to overdo it with lip fillers, but a plastic surgeon has the knowledge to keep results subtle and natural.
Generally, patients can expect to see results for about 6-12 months following Volbella treatments, sometimes even longer.
Juvederm fillers all use hyaluronic acid formulas, but each filler is optimized to address specific concerns for patients. Volbella is formulated to thrive in a high-volume area, while providing subtle, long-lasting enhancement to the lips.
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the skin, and Volbella injections leave the lips soft and natural. No one should notice anything unnatural—other than the marked improvement in the appearance of your lips!
After your treatment, you may have minor side effects that can be noticeable to others. If you’re worried, you might want to keep the next day or two free of commitments, to give your lips time to settle and recover. The final results of the treatment will become apparent as any swelling goes down, which can take a few weeks.
When Volbella is used to fix lip asymmetry, it should typically be injected into the entire lip, in order to give the surgeon more control over the results. In this case, more filler would be injected into the smaller side of the lip.
Beautiful, Youthful Lips
It’s easy to get the beautiful, full, and contoured lips that will make you stand out from the crowd. Volbella could be the perfect solution for improving your confidence, and finally getting the look you’ve always wanted. To learn more about Volbella at Renu by Dr. Schoenfeld, call our office in Chevy Chase, MD to schedule a consultation with Dr. Schoenfeld!