There are multiple signs of aging we all face that leave us less than thrilled with our changing appearance. Signs like lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, while not pretty, are more expected than others less talked about. One of these less discussed areas of concern is volume loss in the cheek area. If you’ve noticed you’ve lost some youthful contours you used to have, call Soza Clinic in Richardson, TX to ask about the dermal filler Voluma by Juvederm.
What Causes Facial Volume Loss?
The cause of facial volume loss is the same for all signs of aging, just with a different outcome. It all starts around the time we’re 20 and start losing production of the three components of beautifully young-looking skin.
Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies and accounts for 80% of our skin. This is an incredibly strong and fibrous protein that packs tightly together mostly in the middle layer of our skin, the dermis, though it can be found everywhere in our skin and connective tissue. When we’re young, collagen is so strong and dense that there are no weakened areas for our surface skin, or epidermis, to fall into.
Because the foundation for our complexion is so smooth and even, our skin is wrinkle-free and pulled tautly. Collagen plays a significant role in keeping the volume in our faces youthful and intact. It forms a strong structure that keeps the fat pads of our faces in place. This provides plenty of padding at our temples, cheeks and upper face, giving us youthful proportions.
Elastin
Elastin is another protein our bodies produce, and this one keeps our organs and skin flexible and elastic. When our hearts or lungs expand as they perform their function in our bodies, they can immediately return to their normal position. The same is true of our skin. Each time we make expressions, it goes back to its original position.
Elastin works with collagen so that when our fat pads move when we smile or make other expressions, the structure holding them in place goes back to its natural position, taking the fat pads with it.
Hyaluronic Acid
This is a natural sugar our bodies produce to keep things like our skin, eyes and other connective tissues lubricated and hydrated. This amazing molecule can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, so it attracts moisture to keep our skin looking dewy and supple. This sugar works in the deeper layer of our skin to keep our fat pads surrounded in plump and hydrated tissue.
As We Age
Around age 20, we start to lose production of collagen, which leads to all the signs of aging we dread but we’re accustomed to, like wrinkles and sagging skin. We lose about 1% a year, and as that happens, areas of weakness form in the foundation of our skin. When our collagen fibers become sparser, each movement we make pushes them around until, eventually, there are permanent crevices formed. Our surface skin falls into those crevices and we end up with wrinkles and folds.
We’ve lost elastin too. Combine the loss of the flexibility of our skin with its weakened structure and we see visibly sagging skin. This happens where gravity is felt the most on our faces: in our jowls, chins and necks.
Age and Lost Volume
This is the most subtle change of all. You might look in the mirror and not quite understand what’s different, just that something is. Volume loss happens because the strong structure that kept our fat pads in place weakens and everything begins to slowly slide downward. We don’t have as much collagen forming the tight layer of skin and acting as the glue keeping everything in place.
Our elastin has diminished, so that structure doesn’t snap back as our collagen lets areas move. We have less hyaluronic acid, so we no longer have a buffer of hydrated tissue to keep everything looking youthful and plump. Our fat pads in the deepest layer of our skin slowly migrate downward. Our cheeks will flatten, and the bottom of our faces will become heavier, so our faces become disproportionately bony and hollow on top. When we lost volume in our cheeks, that skin begins to sag.
Solutions
One of the most popular cosmetic treatments in the world is dermal fillers. There are many on the market, and each one is designed to address something different and perform a different function aesthetically. One of the most innovative is Voluma by Juvederm, created to specifically address lost volume in the cheek area of the face.
What Is Voluma?
Like the rest of the Juvederm family of dermal fillers, Voluma is made from a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid suspended in a smooth and pliable gel. Because it’s made of a naturally produced ingredient, the results are also very natural looking and can even improve the condition of your skin. The hyaluronic acid in Juvederm will attract moisture to your layers of skin and improve the skin’s appearance.
How Does Voluma Give Your Cheeks a Youthful Look?
When we decide this is the right treatment for you, we’ll go over the areas where we can see volume loss. Again, it can be very difficult for you to see because the change has been so gradual. There are three areas of the cheeks where this treatment can restore youthful volume:
- Apex
- Apple
- Hollow
The apex gives cheekbones their prominent appearance on our faces and that enviable high bone structure look we all wish for. The apple is the part of the cheek that rounds and plumps out when we smile. What we don’t realize is that, when we’re young, the apples of our cheeks are still rounded and prominent even when our faces are at rest. The hollow is just below our apple and remains full to keep our contours youthful.
An Instant Lift
When we inject Voluma into the targeted areas of your cheeks, you’ll get an instant and natural-looking lift to the areas that have lost volume. Voluma was created to be injected deeply into the skin. This subtle lift will smooth and tighten the skin that sags because of the lost volume. After we’ve achieved the look you’re looking for, you’ll have natural contours again, with youthful and prominent cheekbones with no flattened or hollow areas that betray your age.
What to Expect
We’ll have an in-depth consultation to discuss and examine your major areas of concern. We’ll discuss options and realistic expectations for each one. Once we’ve decided Voluma is right for you, we’ll give you just a few pre-treatment instructions. The first is to cancel any harsh, ablative treatments you have planned for the two weeks before treatment. We don’t want the area to be inflamed during treatment so we can have an accurate idea of the volume loss in the area.
The other will be to stop any blood-thinning over-the-counter medication or supplements. Hitting pause on taking these will just lower the already small likelihood of bruising. These medications and supplements include:
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen like that in Advil and Motrin
- Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
- Fish oil
- Gingko biloba
- Ginseng
- High doses of vitamin E
During Treatment
When you arrive for your treatment, we’ll put a numbing cream on the injection site to increase your comfort. Juvederm also formulates this treatment with lidocaine in the mixture, so as treatment begins, you’ll become even more comfortable. Once you’re numb, we’ll make a series of injections to the targeted area.
When the injections are complete, you’ll be able to see your results immediately. There is no downtime associated with this treatment, so you can go right back to work or your social routine immediately after your appointment. We just ask you to avoid strenuous exercise, drinking alcoholic beverages or sun exposure for 24 hours.
Results
Your results will be immediate. You’ll walk in with your youthful contours looking flat and hollow and walk out looking years younger. These results have been clinically proven to last up to two years. Each client is different, and factors like the quality of your skin, your age, your natural metabolism and your lifestyle choices can all affect how long your results last.
If you’d like to maximize how long you see results, it’s important to take care of the collagen you have and the overall health of your skin. Avoiding certain things may allow you to enjoy your results for longer:
- Unprotected sun exposure
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol
- Excessive sugar and processed food
- Regularly not getting enough sleep
- Unmanaged stress
Follow-Up
The best way to enjoy seamless results is to see us when you see your results starting to lessen. Making sure you have the right follow up schedule can keep your appearance youthful.
Other Juvederm Fillers
Juvederm makes an entire family of dermal fillers to address multiple areas of aging concerns. All of their fillers are made of hyaluronic acid and formulated for different areas. Talk to us about addressing all areas of concern you may have.
Lines, Wrinkles and Folds
Perhaps the first sign of aging we want to deal with are wrinkles. Juvederm offers fillers that can address moderate-to-severe wrinkles like:
- Nasolabial folds from the nose to the mouth
- Marionette lines from the corners of the mouth down the chin
- Chin lines, including the horizontal line between the chin and bottom lip
Lip Enhancement
If you weren’t born with the pouty and full lips you’ve always wanted, now you can have them. We have fillers designed to help you achieve the mouth of your dreams by:
- Adding volume
- Manipulating the shape
- Defining the edges
- Blurring vertical lip lines
- Upturning down-turned corners of the mouth
Fixing Asymmetry
It used to be that people who want to fix things like an asymmetrical nose would need invasive procedures. Now, correcting issues can be done through the use of dermal fillers. Talk to us about how we can use this family of injectables to help with things like:
- Straightening asymmetry in the nose
- Filling tear troughs to reduce the appearance of different-sized eyes
- Fixing a crooked smile
- Helping to smooth out jowls
All these results are temporary, and the length of results depends on the filler used and the individual client.
Restore a Youthful Appearance Today
There’s no reason to put off getting back some of the self-confidence the aging process can take away from us. If you’re unhappy with areas of lost volume, or any other signs of aging, call the Soza Clinic in Richardson, TX for your consultation. We believe in the holistic care of all our clients. We’re committed to helping you look as good as you feel and vice versa. We look forward to meeting you!
