Facial Injections: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

Juvederm Ultra is best for lips, Juvederm Ultra Plus is better for face (like nasolabial folds) than Restylane. Restylane is better for under eye hollows. (Morgan Rabach, MD, New York Dermatologist)

Juvederm and Restylane are similar but different

I would not say that one is better than the other. Many of the practitioners responding to this question have their own opinions which are certainly valid. I will add my two cents.

Restylane is slightly more viscous and stiffer. It also tends to stay in the place you put it rather than diffuse as much as Juvederm. Juvederm also tends to be more hydrophilic (attract more water).

This can be a nice quality when injected into the lips, but a negative when injected in the tear trough. Basically what it comes down to is doctor preference.

Each product has its advantages and disadvantages, but what is most important is that you go to someone with experience since an experienced board-certified injector is likely to get great results with either of the products. (Michael M. Kim, MD, Portland Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Juvederm and Restylane are Both Excellent Fillers

Restylane and Juvederm are both hyaluronic acid fillers that can produce excellent aesthetic results as facial fillers. Juvederm is available as both Juvederm Ultra, as well as Juvederm Ultraplus, a formulation suited for correcting deeper wrinkles and folds.

Some practitioners find the products to be essentially equivalent, whereas others find one product to be easier and/or better to use. I agree with some of the others on this board that Juvederm has a somewhat smoother consistency and flows easier into certain areas such as the lips.

This does not necessarily make it a better product, however, and I find that both Restylane and Juvederm produce similar results for a similar length of time. (Arash Akhavan, MD, FAAD, Manhattan Dermatologist)

Both of these products have very similar properties. In general, what I have noticed is that Restylane is a bit stiffer and maintains its shape better, while Juvederm is smoother and conforms better. So, I take advantage of this and use Restylane in areas were I want the bulk to help push the tissue up.

For example, around the eyes I generally use Restylane when injecting the tear troughs and brows. When treating lips, I like Juvederm because I find its smoother quality makes the lips feel softer and more natural.

Further, because it does tend to spread around more, I use it to treat the fine lines around the lips. In other areas, such as the nasolabial folds, both products work great. And whether one lasts longer than the other seems to be related to the to the site of injection and the individual being treated.

Both are excellent products. The key to an excellent outcome is going to be more dependent on the quality of the person injecting it than between Juvederm vs. Restylane. (Amir M. Karam, MD, San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Both Restylane and Juvederm are hyaluronic acids. Although their composition is slightly different, Juvederm has the reputation of being slightly easier to inject than Restylane. I use both on a daily basis in my practice.

For the most part I believe they are equivalent with respect to ease of injection, outcomes and risk of bruising and other side effects. However, there are some areas that I will only use one or the other.

I only use Restylane under the eyes, and only Juvederm in the lips. Also, I have had patients whom I’ve injected Restylane on one side of the smile line and Juvederm on the other side, and you can’t tell the difference.

I pretty much always use Restylane with Lidocain or Juvederm XC since the Lidocain makes the injections a lot more tolerable for the patients. I also use topical numbing prior to the procedure, especially for the lips.

I do not do nerve blocks for the lips anymore. With a BLT cream left on for about 15 minutes, patients tolerate it really well. (Ben Behnam, MD, Santa Monica Dermatologic Surgeon)

Both are HA fillers, and both are good products. If you are only injecting one region, there may be a “best” product for that area (I like Juvederm Ultra for the lips, as it feels softer), but if you are injecting multiple regions, then you may want to pick the product that works well in all locations. (ie: if you are injecting the lips and nasolabial folds, don’t choose Ultra Plus. Yes, it will last longer, but your lips will be too firm…)

Finally, if you are new to fillers or just need a small area treated, you might want to use the 0.4 cc version of Restylane – it works well almost everywhere, and it is the smallest volume that you can purchase. The smart way to approach the issue is to visit with a injector who uses all of the products, discuss the regions that bother you (in rank order) and tell them how much you have budgeted. They can guide you through your options. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)

Both are hyaluronic acid, reversible & safely used for decades. Both these products are very comparable and the final results depend on the artistry of your injector. These hyaluronic acid dermal fillers have 2-3 different subtypes, classified by particle size & different cross linking technology.

The finer molecules of hyaluronic acid like Restylane Silk is FDA approved for fine lines & lips, potentially lasting up to 6 months. Whereas, Juvederm Ultra is FDA approved for lips with studies showing duration up to a year in lips & 6+ months in nasolabial folds.

In summary, both Jevederm & Restylane family of fillers are good choices & safe but the ultimate results are in the hands of the injector. (Promila Banerjee, MD, Chicago Internist)

There are numerous points that come into place when it comes to injectable fillers. First of all, the skill of your physician is far more important then the actual product and in the right hands both juvederm and restylane can produce amazing results.

Similarly if used by a novice doctor, regardless of the choice of the filler can produce undesirable results.

When it comes to decision making numerous aspects should be considered including area of the face where the injections are performed, previous experience with such fillers, longevity, budget, etc.

In general restylane based fillers are more preferable in the tear trough area (under the eyes) whereas juvederm fillers might produce softer results along the lips. Treatment of other areas of the face (cheeks, nasolabial folds, etc) can be accomplished with both fillers.

Since the original restylane and juvederm more sophisticated updates to both brands have been made. In the case of restylane brand, a new line known as Emervel (Volume for cheeks, Lips, Classic for softer lines an Deep for deeper lines) is producing amazing results with existing approval in Europe and Canada.

When it comes to juvederm brand, several novel, longer lasting types of juvederm can also be more useful including Juvederm Voluma for cheeks, Volbella for Lift and Volift for deep folds. (Andrei Metelitsa, MD, FRCPC, FAAD, Calgary Dermatologic Surgeon)

Choosing Fillers

In our office , we like most all of the hyaluronic fillers on the market, including the Juvederm and Restylane families of products. Since aesthetic contouring is as much an art as a science, a good injector should help you decide on the choose of filler.

It will depend on where the filler will be used, how what your expectations are for the results and after-care. We prefer a more natural look when volumizing and contouring faces and lips.

For that reason, we suggest Restylane for the lips and eye troughs to ensure a smooth result and a denser filler like Juvederm Ultra or Ultra Plus for moderate lines.

Restylane LYFT or Voluma are best used for deep filling and adding volume to the mid-face. We find both Restylane and Juvederm to last about the same length of time based on where it is injected. (Ronald Moser, MD, San Juan Capistrano Physician)

I wouldn’t necessarily say that Juvederm is better. Juvederm and Restylane, both being hyaluronic acid, are in fact much more similar than they are different. The main difference between the two is in smoothness with Juvederm being twice as smooth as Restylane.

This makes Juvederm the ideal filler for lips. The relative firmness of Restylane can be an advantage in certain areas where a more robust filler can provide better correction. (Sam Naficy, MD, FACS, Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Juvederm and Restylane are both hyaluronic acid products used to fill wrinkles and lines on the face and to add volume in areas such as the lips, tear troughs (lower lid hollows), and in the cheeks.

They are competitors of each other and both work well. There may be differences in how long they last, and in my practice, the Juvederm does not last as long as long as the Restylane.

The Juvederm seems to feel softer than the Restylane, so we often use it in the lips. (Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)