SKINVIVE^™ by Juvéderm^®

Hyaluronic acid is a substance produced naturally in your body. This gooey, slippery substance is a humectant, meaning it retains moisture. It can bind more than 1,000 times its weight in water. Just as production of other key substances needed to maintain strong skin—collagen and elastin—decreases with age, the body also makes less hyaluronic acid. This results in our skin losing volume and hydration.

SKINVIVE^™ by Allergan Aesthetics—the company that produces the Juvéderm^® line of fillers—is a smooth gel containing a small amount of lidocaine that is injected under the skin, like other facial fillers. It is placed intradermally (between the layers of the skin) to provide the appearance of smoother facial skin on the cheeks. This powerful and lasting gel, which has a water-like consistency, is injected more superficially than most standard hyaluronic acid fillers.

Due to its skin smoothing abilities, SKINVIVE^™ functions like an injectable alternative to address skin concerns that would typically be treated with laser skin resurfacing, topical products, or chemical peels. The hyaluronic acid is put back into the skin directly, unlike skin rejuvenation treatments that prompt the skin to gradually create more of the substance itself. The treatment can refresh your skin in a way that makes it look as if you have had a full night’s sleep and your recommended three liters of daily water.

The product contains hyaluronic acid, which attracts moisture to increase skin hydration and improve the skin’s texture. SKINVIVE^™ droplets are injected superficially into the epidermis or outer skin layer, and it diffuses in an even layer. The hydrating gel flows easily into the skin. By improving hydration within the skin with SKINVIVE^™, the overall quality of the skin improves. Once it gets into the skin, it increases aquaporin, a type of hydration marker that helps water to flow in and out of the cells. Additionally, SKINVIVE^™ boosts collagen production to improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.

SKINVIVE^™ it intended for patients aged 21 and older. Almost anyone who is experiencing dull skin and wants to improve hydration to get smoother skin on the cheeks, or those who want to achieve their most moisturized and refreshed skin, could be a good candidate for SKINVIVE^™. The injectable can enhance your skin texture and soften very fine lines on the cheeks. It is approved for Fitzpatrick skin types (I-VI), so patients of any skin type could benefit.

However, there are certain cases where SKINVIVE^™ may not be recommended. It is not designed to address volume loss in the face caused by aging. Similarly, SKINVIVE^™ isn’t an effective solution for deep wrinkles. Facial fillers may be the more effective option for restoring volume. SKINVIVE^™ is not recommended for patients with severe allergies or a history of allergies to gram-positive bacterial proteins or lidocaine. Treatments should be rescheduled if there is inflammation or cysts, pimples, rashes, or hives on the treatment area.

One of the advantages of this treatment is that you will get results that are visible right away. You may notice some improvements to your skin quality after SKINVIVE^™, but the effects will continue to evolve over several weeks. The full results can usually be seen after 30 days. SKINVIVE^™ has been shown to provide smoother skin with a lasting glowing, supple, and radiant appearance for up to six months.

Most traditional hyaluronic acid fillers are cohesive injectable gels or gel implants that add volume to fill in certain areas or alter the shape of your face, such as cheek fillers to improve the definition of the cheekbone areas or lip fillers to improve lip plumpness. However, these fillers do not affect the quality of the skin itself. They primarily change your face shape, but don’t improve the outer layer of the skin. These techniques require a larger amount of filler to be injected at a given time and more precision.

In contrast, SKINVIVE^™ improves skin hydration and texture but does not add volume to augment or address volume loss or stretch the skin. Very small amounts of the water-like substance are added. The filler diffuses into an even layer after injection, unlike traditional fillers that will usually remain in the place they have been injected. It won’t alter your facial contours and is sometimes thought of as a “skin booster” rather than a filler. The results of SKINVIVE^™ will be more subtle compared to those of a volumizing dermal filler. Sometimes SKINVIVE^™ may be combined with standard dermal fillers as part of a comprehensive skin treatment plan.

SKINVIVE^™ is minimally invasive with little to no downtime. There may be some mild, short-term side effects such as redness, bumps, swelling, bruising, tenderness, and discoloration at the injection site. You will be able to resume your normal daily activities right away after a treatment session. However, you will need to avoid heavy exercise, makeup, or sun exposure for 24 hours, just like you would for other injectable cosmetic treatments.

SKINVIVE^™ is one option for facial rejuvenation, but Dr. Turner’s Dallas and Irving-based Dermatology Office provides a wide selection of traditional dermal fillers including other hyaluronic acid fillers in the Juvéderm^® collection, along with biostimulatory fillers such as Radiesse^® and Sculptra^® that promote production of natural collagen in the skin, and RHA^® fillers that are designed for dynamic wrinkles. Platelet-rich plasma injections with the patented Plasma^® system help to rejuvenate the skin and hair. Chemical peels, microneedling, and Dermalinfusion are other skin rejuvenation treatments that can help you to restore brighter, more radiant, and healthier skin.