Many patients considering facial rejuvenation to achieve a more youthful or refreshed appearance are interested in using injectable fillers to reduce the signs of aging such as smile lines and wrinkles. It's also likely that most of them worry about the pain of an injection placed in the facial folds, smile lines, facial wrinkles, marionette lines or sensitive areas of their face. Let's face it, most people don't like the "little pinch" associated with needles.
Well, there's some good news for patients interested in using facial fillers. New advancements in facial fillers will mean less pain and discomfort during treatment.
In February 2010, three (3) popular hyaluronic acid (HA) injectable fillers containing lidocaine received FDA approval for the U.S. market:
- Juvederm XC
- Restylane-L
- Perlane-L
Dr. Michael H. Gold, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and School of Nursing said of clinical trials “The incorporation of lidocaine has surely provided a higher comfort level for patients.” Dr. Gold is also medical director at Gold Skin Care Center, Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa, the Laser and Rejuvenation Center and the Tennessee Clinical Research Center.
In a 72-patient trial of Juvederm XC, 93 percent reported less pain when treated with the lidocaine formulation versus the non-lidocaine formulation of Juvéderm. (Weinkle SH, Bank DE, Boyd CM, et al. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2009 Sep;8(3):205-210). Based on clinical experience, Dr. Gold says, “These products performed similarly to their lidocaine-free predecessors in terms of efficacy and safety,” and added, “Most patients say they barely feel the second stick. To me that is the home run of lidocaine in these fillers.”
Read the full story from the July, 2010 Cosmetic Surgery Times: “Fillers with lidocaine among latest injectable advancements.”
For information on JUVÉDERM®, please visit http://www.juvederm.com
For more information on Restylane® and Perlane®, please visit http://restylaneusa.com