Juvederm is one of the most popular dermal fillers in the US. As with most fillers, it is only FDA approved for the nasolabial folds, but is used “off label” in other areas of the face. Although Juvederm is a very safe filler for use around the face, there are certain characteristics that make it the wrong choice for filling the “tear trough” and areas around the eye.
Like many of the popular FDA approved fillers, Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid (HA) filler. The other commonly used HA fillers are Restylane, Perlane, Voluma, and Belotero. One of the characteristics of HA fillers that extends their longevity is that they are hydrophilic. Hydrophilic means “water loving” which translates into the HA fillers absorbing up to 10 times their volume with water from the surrounding tissues. Although all the HA fillers have this characteristic, Juvederm is the MOST HYDROPHILIC of the dermal fillers mainly because it is has the highest concentration of HA. This is a disadvantage around the eye because it often results in PROLONGED EDEMA around the eye. All the HA fillers have been known to do this but it is particularly common with Juvederm. Dr. Weiner has seen this problem with people that have been injected with Juvederm in the tear trough even up to 3 years earlier. RealSelf.com is replete with stories and pictures of very unhappy patients with this Juvederm problem.
Another disadvantage of Juvederm in the eye area is related to its cohesivity. This is the ability of the product to bind to itself. Juvederm has low cohesivity, which means it tends to spread to the surrounding areas, causing a correction to areas beyond the injected area. This is fine for some areas, but in the tear trough, which is a very small area, doctors need precise control of the filler. The physician wants to know that when he places the filler in the tear trough, it will stay exactly there, and it doesn’t with Juvederm.
Fortunately, hyaluronidase is an antidote for HA fillers, and can be used for dissolving fillers with poor cosmetic results. For Juvederm, dissolving with hyaluronidase is harder and requires more treatments than the other HA fillers. Some believe this is related to the higher cross linking in Juvederm than other fillers. Nonetheless, Juvederm can be successfully reversed even in instances where the chronic edema has been present for several years.
Around the eye and tear trough area, the HA filler of choice should be Restylane. There are some physicians that are happy with Belotero and Restylane Silk. Another great option is Sculptra but only in very experienced hands. Remember too, that cannulas are a much safer option for the injection in this area, with less risk, less bruising, and less downtime.
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