We are excited about the release of a new alternative to Botox called Jeuveau. Although Jeuveau is new to the market, we will provide as much information as possible.
What is Botox?
Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expressions such as the vertical lines seen between your eyes when you frown. When placed in the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the wrinkles.
How does Botox work?
Botox works by relaxing muscles, specifically the ones you use to make facial expressions such as frowning or raising your eyebrows. Botox is called a neuromodulator because it affects the nerves. Specifically, Botox prevents the nerves from telling the muscles to contract. This results in the muscles staying in a relaxed state. In this way the muscles do not contract and the wrinkles caused by the muscle contraction disappear.
What is Jeuveau?
Jeuveau is another neuromodulator that works exactly like Botox. Thus far there have been three neuromodulators available for cosmetic purposes in the United States. Botox was the first one and has been used for the longest time. Later Dysport, and then Xeomin were released as alternatives. The active ingredient in these products is exactly the same. The difference is in the way the product is prepared and the inactive ingredients called accessory proteins. For example, Dysport has different accessory proteins that make the product spread more in the skin. Xeomin has no accessory proteins and has a decreased likelihood of allergic reactions (which are very rare with Botox anyway); it also has a slightly faster onset. Jeuveau is most similar to Botox in terms of the accessory proteins and it has been approved to treat the frown lines. Although not yet approved for other areas, Jeuveau can be used to treat other wrinkles on the face; this is called off label use.
What is the difference between Jeuveau and Botox?
Actually, there are more similarities than differences between Jeuveau and Botox. The studies thus far have shown that the results almost exactly the same. They can be used virtually interchangeably. The biggest difference is that Jeuveau is made by a new company called Evolus. Unlike Allergan, which makes Botox as well as a number of other products such as Botox therapeutic (for things like migraine headaches), fillers, Kybella, Latisse, and more, Evolus only has a single product. More importantly, Jeuveau is only focused on cosmetic treatments. So Jeuveau will not be used to treat things like migraine headaches (at least on-label). The advantage for Evolus in this respect is that they will not be restricted by government reimbursement. What this means is that they can offer a lower price point. Although it has not been released yet, Jeuveau is expected to cost 20-25% less than Botox. This will allow a lot of people who are unable to fit a treatment into their budget to now do so.
Can I have Jeuveau if I have previously had Botox?
Yes, anyone who has previously had a Botox treatment can have a Jeuveau treatment. Most people enjoy the results of a Botox or Jeuveau treatment for three to four months. At that time, you can have a Jeuveau treatment.
What areas can be treated with Jeuveau?
Jeuveau has been approved for treatment of the frown lines. These are the vertical lines seen between your eyebrows when you frown. Although this is the only area approved by the FDA, Jeuveau can also be used off-label for all other areas that Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are used. These include horizontal forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet around the eyes, and bunny lines on the nose. Jeuveau can also be used to slim the lower face, improve a gummy smile, reduce a cobblestone appearance on the chin, elevate the corners of the mouth, provide a slight pout to the lips, and soften neck bands. It can also be used for excessive sweating in the underarms, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet, migraine headaches, and TMJ pain.
What are the side effects of Jeuveau?
The side effects of Jeuveau are similar to those of Botox. With any injection, there are risks such as pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique. We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In addition to these risks, with Jeuveau there is also a risk that the product spreads or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary asymmetric smile.
When will I see the results of my Jeuveau treatment?
Although some people will start seeing improvement in a few days after a Jeuveau treatment, you will see the full effects of your Jeuveau treatment after two weeks. We have patients return two weeks after a Jeuveau treatment to take after pictures. If you receive the recommended dose of Jeuveau and the results are not as expected, we will provide complimentary additional units of Jeuveau.
What should I do after a Jeuveau treatment?
After a Jeuveau treatment, please avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these activities may possibly lead to the movement of the Jeuveau and consequent side effects such as droopy eyelids.
How long will the results of my Jeuveau treatment last?
Most people enjoy the results of their Jeuveau treatment for three to four months. The clinical trials for Jeuveau have shown that some people enjoy their results up to five months. At that point Dr. Alex recommends a maintenance Jeuveau treatment.