Juvéderm®

What it is and who makes it

Juvéderm® is a family of hyaluronic acid fillers from Allergan (AbbVie) — the same manufacturer as the Botox® used at this practice. The hyaluronic acid is of non-animal origin, obtained by fermentation, like every other filler in its class.

What characterises much of the range is its cross-linking technology, known as VYCROSS®: it combines high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid chains to produce a more cohesive gel with lower water affinity than classic gels. In practice that means two things: less swelling from fluid retention, and a high capacity to hold volume relative to the amount of product used.

Like any hyaluronic acid, it is reversible with hyaluronidase. That is the property it shares with Restylane and that neither biostimulator — Sculptra or Radiesse — has.

Which reference belongs in each area

Which specific reference is used depends on the area and the case, and it is written into the quote along with the batch number before anything is applied. Asking «how much is Juvéderm» without naming the area has no useful answer: within the same family there are gels with very different prices and functions.

Juvéderm or Restylane: how they actually differ

It is the most frequent question and the honest answer is a little disappointing: both are excellent and the clinical difference in competent hands is small. What changes is how the gel is processed, and that does have practical consequences.

Translated into real decisions:

• A firm-particle gel supports and projects very well over bone, which is why it tends to be preferred where clear structure is needed.
• A highly cohesive gel with low water affinity tends to swell less and integrate more softly, which makes it comfortable in the lip and in thin skin.

What should not decide the choice: whichever brand the clinic has in stock. If the same one is proposed for everything, they probably only work with that. Here both are used and the choice is made by area.

Health registration and traceability

Like any branded filler legally marketed in Colombia, Juvéderm® carries INVIMA registration. That is what shows the product came through the formal channel, with cold chain and traceability.

It is a well-known enough brand to also be among the most counterfeited, so the usual checks matter more here, not less: see the box before it is opened, have the syringe opened in front of you, and have the batch number recorded in your notes. A strikingly low price on an expensive brand is, in itself, the warning sign.

What it costs

Filler is not quoted by «area» but by product and volume, and for a reason worth understanding before you compare: two people with the same complaint can need 1 ml and 4 ml. A closed per-area price that does not say how many millilitres it includes cannot be compared with anything — the same problem as botox units.

How it works here:

• The consultation is free and is not charged in advance. You are assessed, told which product, how much volume and the total, and you decide then.
• The quote is given in writing with the brand, the batch number and the millilitres before anything is applied. That document is what makes comparison possible.
• You pay for what is applied. If your case needs less volume than expected, you pay less.

Payment: cash, debit card and credit card, with the option to split into instalments at the terminal under your own bank plan.

Frequently asked questions