The range of injectable fillers is astonishing today compared to what is was just ten years ago. But the majority of the commercially available fillers are composed of hyaluronic acid which has been proven to have a very low rate of complications and assured resorption over a predictable time period. The degree of cross-linking of the hyaluron molecules and its concentration (mg/ml) has a major influence on the duration of the filler’s effect.
Hyaluronic acid-based fillers is the most ‘natural’ of substances to inject into the skin as young healthy skin contains an abundance of it. As one ages, sunlight and other factors can reduce the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin. The loss of hyaluronic acid causes the skin to lose structure and volume creating unwanted wrinkles and folds in the skin. Placing synthetic hyaluronic acid back into the skin is a proven safe and effective method to replace the lost volume and reduce these wrinkles and folds.
One of the major player’s in the hyaluronic acid-based filler market is Juvederm and is one of the most recognized brand names in the U.S. market. It has developed into a line of different products for injection into various levels of the skin. Once of its newer products is it Voluma injectable filler. Juvederm Voluma XC is composed of 20mg/ml and 3mgs of lidocaine. It is intended to restore lost volume to the face, also known as a facial volumizer for such areas as the cheeks and chin. While its predecessor Juvederm product lines offer excellent results when used for fine lines around the nose (nasolabial folds), mouth (marionette lines) and eyes (tear troughs), Juvederm Voluma XC is better suited for larger scale facial volumizing. The lidocaine is incorporated to reduce the pain of the injections.
While not yet FDA-approved in the U.S., it is widely used around the world in various countries. It is awaiting FDA evaluation for eventual clearance to be used in the U.S. which has not yet occurred. An FDA panel today has recommended Juvederm Voluma XC as safe and effective to treat age-related volume loss in the midface. This suggests that clearance is likely to occur most likely later this year. If the FDA approves Voluma XC for cheek augmentation, it would be the first injectable filler approved for this indication in the U.S. Being able to be injected deep down to the bone in the cheek also suggest that it could be similarly used for chin augmentation as well.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana