There is now one more FDA approved filler on the market. Voluma Juvederm made by Allergan has been approved for the temporary filling of the cheek region. This new filler is similar to the traditional Juvederm in many ways. It is composed primarily of hyaluronic acid, It is temporary, it is very well tolerated with few side effects, it comes premixed with numbing medicine (lidocaine), and it comes in one milliliter syringes.The primary difference between Voluma and the older Juvederm is that there is a difference in how it is prepared (cross-linking), and this results in it probably lasting a little longer and providing a little more filler effect (by retaining more of the surrounding fluid).

For this exact reason, it shouldn’t be used to fill the hollows under the eyes in order to prevent bagginess and swelling in that region. It is best suited for augmentation of the cheek region and the nasolabial folds. In our practice, it will be probably be used in a similar fashion to Radiesse, one of the other long-acting fillers. Voluma, like all types of Juvederm is a temporary filler. It should last anywhere from 1-2 years, but in some case may last as little as 9 months. In the event that too much of it is placed in a particular spot, or it is injected in the wrong area, it can be rapidly dissolved away with an injection of a substance called hyaluronidase. This would be done no sooner than two weeks after the initial Voluma injection.

The main risks of Voluma injections are swelling, redness, bruising and mild pain. Severe complications are extremely rare. It is best to plan on having a few days to let the redness/swelling resolve before planning to look your best.