With Aquamid being only available in Europe because of the FDA’s lengthy process of approving the drug, the next best facial filler is Juvederm ® because while Artecoll ® is similar to Aquamid ® in that it lasts 10 years it’s only approved to be used in the nasolabial folds. Juvederm can be used to fill in almost anything on the face, including lips, cheek, and other areas of the face.
Is it worth it to fly over to Europe to get Aquamid injected instead of getting Juvederm locally?

The True Cost Of Getting Aquamid
Aquamid is only available in Europe, and is commonly used in London. The airfare to London, cost of the hotel, cost of food, and how long of a stay greatly impacts this cost. A frugal estimate would be $2000-$3000 just to stay in London for 5 days. The actual cost of the procedure can vary, but the average is about the same as a face lift which is $5000.

It’s going to be expensive, above $5000. But, the filler will last up to 10 years.

The True Cost of Getting Juvederm
The average cost of getting Juvederm done is $690. Wherever you live in the United States, it’s easy to find a plastic surgeon or dermatologist within driving distance. Also the filler will last up to two years.

If you were to get new injections every two years, that would cost you $3450. That’s significantly less than one injection of Aquamid.

Over 10 years
Aquamid is the more expensive choice, and it may be FDA approved in the near future as clinical trials started in August of 2006. With Juvederm costing thousands less initially and over time clearly the cost winner is Juvederm.

Juvederm is cheaper, but only a Doctor can tell you which facial filler is right for you.

It’s called Aquamid ® and here in America it’s not well known. In Europe however, over 300,000 injections have been performed. It is used to contour the face and create more defined cheek bones. It’s also used for lip augmentation and chin augmentations to name a few. As of this update (September 9th, 2008) Aquamid is not FDA approved, but that doesn’t stop patients in Europe.

According to www.responsesource.com:

Aquamid® can be used to enhance and contour the face and create more defined cheekbones. The volume created comes mostly from water (97.5%) cross linked with Polyacrylamide to create a soft and uniform hydro gel that moves naturally with the face. As water is recognised by the body Aquamid® is readily accepted and forms a thin membrane around the implant which helps keep it in place, therefore preventing migration. In comparison to fillers containing micro particles, Aquamid® does not cause a foreign body reaction and will not cause tissue to harden. It simply becomes a soft and stable part of the tissue and remains in natural harmony with the body. Results achieved by Aqaumid® are instant and long lasting.

How long will it last then? It lasts at least four years according to a study published in 2004. 104 patients in the study that received the injections were asked after four years what they thought of the results. 78% said very good and 22% said good.

So what are you to do if you can’t make a trip to London anytime soon to get this filler? Ask any dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon if they have it for off-label use. Sometimes they will bring it back from medical conferences in Europe. You can also wait for the FDA to approve this filler, as they are expected to approve it eventually.

Check out this article about new facial fillers that are on the way.