Volbella®
Get Fuller Lips and Fewer Wrinkles in Albuquerque
Known for its popular dermal fillers that temporarily add volume to the face, Allergan added a new product to its lineup in 2016: Juvederm Volbella®. Albuquerque’s Western Dermatology Consultants offers the injectable for patients who want fuller lips, as well as to smooth out wrinkles that form around the mouth.
The hyaluronic-based filler works by adding volume to the area where it’s injected, generating natural, youthful-looking results that can last for a year. Whether patients want plumper lips, smoother skin, or both, Volbella® can help. The filler is ideal for adults who have noticed their lips thinning over time, have seen vertical wrinkles develop above their lips, or who have had thin lips throughout their life and want to make a change.
Contact Us
Learn more about Volbella® from Albuquerque′s Western Dermatology Consultants. Call the trusted experts at 505-855-9267 to schedule a free consultation, or inquire online about a visit.
How Volbella® Works
Allergan uses a refined manufacturing process to cross link hyaluronic acid molecules, creating a stable gel. Since hyaluronic acid is well suited for retaining water, the gel restores moisture along with volume, immediately rounding out the skin. Hyaluronic acid concentrations in Volbella® are lower than in other fillers, which makes the gel especially soft and smooth. Its consistency is ideal for subtle results that appear natural, since it flows easily where injected and does not create an “overly done” look.
The filler is absorbed over time, a safe process that gradually returns the skin to its pre-injection appearance. Patients who want to maintain their subtly volumized lips and reduced vertical lip lines can get a new Volbella® injection when the results have diminished after 12 months. Studies have shown that patients who get multiple injections over time require less of the filler to achieve the same results.
Volbella® at Albuquerque’s Western Dermatology Consultants adds volume for subtle, but visible improvements to the mouth area, including smoothing out fine lines and increasing volume in the lips.
Volbella® Treatment Details
Volbella® is injected with a fine needle and contains lidocaine to minimize pain at the injection site. A treatment session can take a matter of minutes, with results visible as soon as the injections are made. The immediate effect will reduce slightly in the days after a treatment, and any redness or swelling at the injection site should resolve on its own over the course of the following days. Remember that slight tenderness and bruising are common to injectable treatments. For more details about what to expect from a Volbella® treatment session, arrange a personalized conversation by calling 505-855-9267.
Why Do Lips Thin Over Time?
Youthful lips get their plump roundness from abundant collagen, the same protein that keeps skin looking smooth and healthy. Unfortunately, as with collagen in the skin, collagen in the lips is gradually depleted, leading to a natural thinning over time.
This is because the body’s natural cycle of collagen breakdown and replenishment slows as a person grows older, ultimately leading to a situation where more collagen is leaving than is coming in. The problem is made even worse when environmental damage is taken into account, with UV radiation from the sun and other sources, such as tanning lamps, causing the important protein to break down even faster. Other factors that contribute to further collagen breakdown in the lips include smoking and the frequent use of straws for drinking.
Without a significant amount of collagen molecules in the lips, they will lose their fullness. Keep in mind that collagen also provides a structural framework to house hyaluronic acid molecules, which are especially good at binding to water and keeping the areas where they are found moist and well hydrated. Without suitable support, hyaluronic acid is unable to perform its own lip-plumping abilities. Drinking plenty of water can ensure lips get as much hydration as they can, but without plenty of hyaluronic acid and collagen within the lips, the thinning trend will continue.
This is all in contrast to people who have lips that are naturally thin due to genetics. The shape or size of a person’s lips owes a considerable amount to heredity.
One more interesting note: Younger people tend to have proportionally larger teeth, which—in addition to chewing—give support to the lips on the outside of the mouth. As the tooth-to-lip ratio changes in favor of the lips, less structural support from the inside can cause them to appear less perky.
How Does Volbella® Compare to Juvederm® Ultra?
Allergan makes all of the injectables in the Juvederm® line, with multiple options to ensure a product that meets virtually every patient’s unique dermal filler needs. Ultra is another filler in the family known for adding volume to lips, which means it works in a very similar way to Volbella®. That said, there are some key differences.
The Ultra formulation is designed to provide more significant fullness, giving a noticeable boost to thin lips. Since Volbella® is smoother, the volume it adds is more for subtle corrections and enhancements. This is also what makes it so appropriate for addressing the fine lines that develop around the mouth. These lines are usually so thin that a thick, robust gel would essentially be too much.
Both fillers have the same general duration, lasting up to 12 months in optimal conditions.
Static Wrinkles vs. Dynamic Wrinkles
The lines Volbella® treats are in a high-motion area—around the mouth, which is always opening and closing as people eat, talk, yawn, laugh, and more—but they are still considered “static wrinkles,” which form due to the loss of key elements in the skin. Static wrinkles can be addressed by dermal fillers, which mimic naturally occurring collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin.
Lines that appear after years of repeated muscle contractions are known as “dynamic wrinkles,” named for the constant motion that results in their formation. Since these wrinkles come from a different source than lip lines, they require a different treatment than Volbella® and its related fillers. Injectables known as “neuromodulators” are ideal for dynamic wrinkles, as they arrest proper muscle function in the treatment area.
Contact Us
If you would like to know more about Volbella® in Albuquerque, contact our office and come in for a visit. Call Western Dermatology Consultants at 505-855-9267 or schedule an appointment online.
More Than Volbella®
Western Dermatology Consultants offers a variety of dermal fillers beyond Volbella® to help patients enjoy the cosmetic benefits of added volume. Available products include other members of Allergan’s filler line—Juvederm® for nasolabial folds and frown lines, and Voluma® for cheek contouring—as well as Restylane® and Perlane® for correcting moderate to severe wrinkles.
Another wrinkle-smoothing injectable option is BOTOX®, the brand name for a neuromodulator that temporarily relaxes muscles in the forehead and to the sides of the eyes. Since these muscles cause dynamic wrinkles to form, inhibiting their activity has the opposite effect.
Other skin-rejuvenating treatments include Thermage®, which uses radiofrequency energy to tighten lax skin; chemical peels, which remove the outermost layer to expose younger and fresher skin beneath; and microdermabrasion, which stimulates natural collagen production. Discover which is best for your needs with help and guidance from the Western Dermatology Consultants team.