What Is voluma?
Voluma is a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler (with a high G’ of 398 Pa and high cohesivity of 40 gmf and 20 mg/ml concentration for those who need to know!) which allows a high lift capaty, which is especially useful for deeper injections. This material is especially good for filling areas like cheeks as there is little change in the volume of the injected material after deposition, allowing an accurate degree of filling and sculpting of the cheeks (and other areas like temples). Voluma is ideal for creation of structure, to give volume and for lifting tissues.
Based on the successful use of Voluma and the obvious need for materials which allow more diffusion and less lift, Volbella (15 mg/ml concentration and G’ Prime of 271 Pa and cohesivity of 19 gmf) and Volift (concentration of 17.5
mg/ml, G’ Prime of 340 Pa and Cohesivity of 30 gmf) were designed.
Lady in 40s who received Voluma to her temples, malars regions and chin (for reflation).
Volift is useful for contouring and lines, whilst Volbella is especially useful for superficial spreading like in the forehead to give a soft volume and improvement in the structure, without creating much of a lift or definition.
So Voluma gives the most lift and Volbella gives the best spread with the least lift. Volift has intermediate characteristics between the two. Knowledge of the concentration and cohesivity allows the surgeon to use the best fillers for the best zones.
"Well, the last time I had a picture taken I could hardly see my eyes because of the weight of heavy eyelid. Then I paid attention to how I was actually using my eyes and I really noticed when I was looking at anything especially the computer I was straining my forehead to see better. Since I have had it done I no longer have to lift the forehead and tilt my head to see. It is amazing! I love..." D. Rock 63 Yrs Old with Fat Droopy Eyes - Salt Lake City, UT
Upper Face
The importance of volume on the underlying bony anatomy of the face has only recently become recognized: the process of aging results in not only descent but deflation of tissues. Understanding this three dimensional change allows the surgeon to combine surgical repositioning (lifting and repositioning), and also volumizing of the various parts of the face.
Temple Hollows: most people will develop some degree of hollowing of the temples. There are several materials that are useful to make the temples more even: Radiesse and Voluma are two of the best. These are injected deeply with a needle or a cannula. Bruising in the temples is not uncommon so ice is used during the injection to reduce the bruising.
Volift is especially useful in the upper face: forehead and brow projection. It is also useful for the frown lines, where it is used in conjunction with botox. Volbella is especially useful as a spreading agent to improve fine lines, but also the smile lines and frown lines.
Mid Face
Most people think of cheeks as the “apple-cheeks” portrayed in comic books.
Cheeks have a more delicate and defined structure with proper designs needed for the medial cheek, the malar and cheek apex and the submalar areas (sub-cheek hollow), together with the area in front of the ears (preauricular cheek). Furthermore, the surgeon needs to know the difference between male and female cheeks.
Males have more fullness in the middle and medially whilst in ladies, the fullness is more of an oval extending superiorly and laterally over the zygoma: the “egg” of beauty. Usually, 1 – 2 mls per cheek of Voluma are needed to achieve a nice contour in women.
Nose: A dorsal hump can be nicely camouflaged with volume injected in the midline close to the periosteum.
Atrophic facial scars: by placing Voluma into the atrophic areas (in small quantities), a substantial difference can be made.
Volift is useful for “accordion” lines of the cheek which are caused by recurrent use of the
orbicularis oculi and zygomaticus muscle.
Volbella and Restylane are both useful for filling the tear trough depresions. Care must be taken to inject deeply to prevent the occurrence of bumps, lumps and a bluish appearance.
Atrophic acne scars can be improved with volume as well as other agents
"I had a excellent eye lift done by Dr. Patel. He knows what he is doing and is very pleasant. Dr.Patel was easy to get an appointment and he works with you. The office staff was very pleasant and made you feel calm." D. Gull Highly recommended for eye lift surgery - Salt Lake City, UT
Lower Face
Chin projection can be nicely improved with Voluma: structural deficiencies develop in the chin with age. Further filling of the lateral oral commissure and the marionette lines together with the prejowl sulcus all help with creating a balanced chin. Chins, of course, are differently shaped in men and women. 1 – 2 mls of Voluma may
be needed for injecting the chins.