Over the past year I have had a few injections of Juvederm. The results have always been good until the last injection. I now have small lumps under the skin that are visible. What can I do about this? Will it clear up and when?

Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a biological product with its origins from substances found in our body. It is not a permanent filler. I use Juvederm to fill fine lines and wrinkles throughout the facial area as well as add volume to certain areas, such as in lip augmentation or non-surgical lower eyelid procedures. Juvederm lasts approximately 12 months. However, I believe this is dependent upon the area injected. For example, if Juvederm is injected in and around the mouth area it may last approximately four to six months. Some of our patients report benefits from Juvederm injections in the lips for greater than that. However, when we inject Juvederm in and around the lower eyelids where there is very little muscle movement, Juvederm can last greater than 12 months. Following the injection of Juvederm, one may experience some swelling. Contour irregularities are rare following injection. If they occur, the lumps or bumps can be managed with massage. If the lumps or bumps are persistent, however, one can have these areas injected with an enzyme called hyaluronidase which will dissolve the lump or bump if it is a collection of Juvederm within 24 to 48 hours.