Juvéderm Voluma XC, one of several hyaluronic acid-based injectables under Allergan’s umbrella of Juvéderm fillers, has been a favorite option of dermatologists and plastic surgeons looking to add volume and contour to their patients’ cheek area. And now, the formula has been approved by the FDA for a new indication: augmentation of the chin region.
“When assessing facial anatomy, the chin is a critical component to facial balance, yet it is often overlooked. Due to its distinct gel properties and product profile, Juvéderm Voluma XC is uniquely suitable to address this need,” AbbVie senior vice president and Global Allergan Aesthetics president Carrie Strom said last week in a statement announcing that Juvéderm Voluma XC is the first and only filler of its kind to receive FDA approval for chin augmentation.
Although Juvéderm Voluma XC is now officially approved for this use, many dermatologists and plastic surgeons have already been using it off-label in the chin area. “For years, I have been using Voluma in the chin for patients who want to ‘try out’ what a chin implant will look like,” California-based, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Sarmela Sunder tells Allure. “A vast majority of patients have enjoyed the results so much that they decide to continue getting the filler injections and forego the implant altogether.”
And that’s completely understandable. “Compared to a chin implant, patients like the ease involved with the filler option,” says Sunder, who explains that patients see themselves with a new chin in less than 20 minutes, with little pain, greater precision, easily covered bruising, and virtually no downtime. “With the implant, on the other hand, patients usually take off a week from work. It can take several weeks to months for the swelling to subside. There is also a concern with potential infection with any sort of an implant.”
That said, Juvéderm Voluma XC is not a replacement for a very significant implant. “Voluma is really only for smaller chin enhancements,” board-certified cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon Scott Miller, also based in California, tells Allure of the procedure, which involves placing the filler atop the bone. “Using it for other needs results in a lot of filler, a lot of money, and an unnatural, rubbery, bally chin pad.” Typically, he says, the procedure will cost $800 to $1,500 per syringe, with one to two syringes being used in the area.
