Las Vegas Plastic Surgery
We often get asked what to do for thin lines and wrinkles around the mouth. Women don’t like when the lipstick “bleeds” into little cracks at their lip line. Often the solution is to restore volume in the lips with fillers. There are many good fillers on the market that give volume needed, but often patients don’t really want more fullness, they just want the wrinkles improved.
Allergan has developed Volbella for this issue. The filler is thinner than the hylauronic acid fillers that we are used to, (Juvederm Ultra/Ultra Plus, Voluma, etc). This lets it be placed more superficially, (right into the superficial wrinkle). It has been FDA approved for use in the lips and perioral lines, in adults over the age of 21. In clinical trials, Vobella® XC was found to effectively increase lip fullness and soften the appearance of lines around the mouth in a majority of subjects through one year. (Ref. 1,2)
The product will compete with Belotero Balance dermal filler, Manufactured by Merz Pharmaceuticals. This product has been FDA approved since 2010. (Ref. 3)
Both allow superficial placement without the “Tyndall Effect,” where skin that is injected too superficially with dermal fillers may appear; slightly bluish, bruised, or as if there are blood vessels on the surface on the skin.
It will be interesting to see the penetration of this filler in a crowded field with more established skin and lip fillers. Having said that, if it can distinguish itself, it should enjoy the continued explosive growth of this area of non-operative Plastic Surgery.
