The Curated Aesthetic

I had the opportunity several weeks ago to visit The Curated Aesthetic in Greensboro, North Carolina for a consultation with the owner, English Black. I loved the office and totally enjoyed meeting English! She is an experienced injectable practitioner and shared information with me about her practice, showed me before and after pictures of her clients (amazing), and in general, just told me about what she’s all about. I was so impressed with her knowledge and her commitment to giving her patients a great experience with amazing results!

I’ve been getting injections for years, but, for some reason, was never given any information about the filler or of the risks. Even though I’ve been going to the same doctor (plastic surgeon) for years and I trust him, I never thought to ask any questions nor was I ever informed about the risks. The filler I had gotten in the past was very basic…cheek bones, jaw line and lips. I left my appointment with English wondering why I never asked any questions and also wondering why no information was given to me.

I now know how important it is to be informed of exactly what is happening and the risk involved when you go and have any kind of injectable filler. That way, you can make an informed decision. When I left my consultation appointment that day, I felt as if I had been given all of the information necessary to decide what I wanted to do, and I also knew the options and my desired result. After thinking about what I had learned, I made an appointment to have a series of appointments. I wanted to take things slowly and start with the area of my face that was bothering me the most…my chin and lower face.

As I grow older, I want to look my best and have absolutely no issues with fillers, Botox, plastic surgery or any cosmetic treatment. I also eat well, I exercise almost daily and I take care of myself. I don’t expect miracles and I don’t want to look like I’m in my 20’s but I do want to look my best. Not everyone feels that way and I totally respect any other opinions.

Now…keep reading to learn more about my visit to The Curated Aesthetic, the process of what I went through, my results and more about Juvéderm. I’ve also created a video that is included in this post. It’s somewhat graphic, but the voiceover explains what was going on and if you’re considering and kind of filler, you may be interested in watching!

About Juvéderm

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that keeps skin moisturized and soft. You can purchase pure hyaluronic acid and it is an ingredient in many serums. JUVÉDERM® fillers are nonsurgical options that contain a modified form of hyaluronic acid. Treatment with JUVÉDERM® products by a licensed specialist provides long-lasting, natural-looking results.

During treatment, a JUVÉDERM® filler is injected into the treatment area by a licensed specialist using a needle or cannula. JUVÉDERM® fillers add volume to the treatment area. Results with JUVÉDERM® fillers are not permanent, and retreatment is usually needed to maintain your results. I was told that my filler would last around a year.

Pictures and commonly asked questions…

Before

The picture above was taken immediately after I washed my face before the procedure began. Keep in mind that I had previously had filler in my cheekbone area and in my jaw. Also keep in mind, when considering filler, that when you inject filler into one area, it also stretches the areas around it, giving you a smoother appearance all over.

English explained to me that the mouth area is one of the first areas we notice aging. I have very deep nasolabial fold lines that are hereditary. Many years ago, I had Gortex implants in that area (this procedure is no longer performed), but of course, I have continued to age and the lines around my mouth have once again gotten deeper. This happens because we loose bone mass and therefore, volume. The area around my mouth was my biggest concern so I decided to start there. Also, I had too much filler in my upper lip and it looked disproportionate so English added a little more filler in my chin to balance my look. The filler that was injected into my cheeks helps with the lines around my mouth and gives my face a fuller appearance overall.

Immediately After

The picture above was taken immediately after my treatment. You can see some redness on my chin but that’s about it. The procedure was mildly uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t describe it as painful. Juvéderm contains a numbing medication so after the first stick, it gets more comfortable.

My procedure lasted around 45 minutes, but it took longer because of the photography and video we took. In addition, I spent a good 30 minutes talking with English and going over everything again and signing a consent form. She wanted me to feel completely comfortable with what was about to happen and make sure I knew what to expect. I love the fact that I felt really informed and I was truly comfortable with everything. It was a great experience and I went into it feeling excited about the result!

The picture above is a comparison of the before and immediately after. I tried to circle the places that were affected, but keep scrolling for better comparison pictures. It is hard to tell much of an immediate difference because the results happen gradually over about a two week period. Immediately after, my chin felt a little lumpy and a little sore, but the soreness went away after about two days and the lumpiness has completely smoothed out. I still know it’s there, but it feels smooth and anyone that touched my face would never know.

3 Days Out

The picture above was taken 3 days out. As you can see, I did bruise slightly and covered it as best as I could with concealer, but it didn’t bother me or stop me from doing anything I wanted to do! I have no makeup on in this picture.

The pictures above are the immediately after picture and the picture from 3 days out. I think you can see a clear difference in the skin around my mouth and my chin. My lips look more proportional and my chin is very smooth with no pebbly skin (which is very common at my age).

Comparison of 3 days out and 5 days out

As you can see (above), after 5 days, my bruise was almost completely gone and the area around my moth is very smooth. I am beyond pleased with my result! I have no makeup on in these pictures.

One Week Out

In one weeks time, my bruise was still visible, but very small (I have a scrape on my chin from a bicycle accident that’s to the left of the bruise that has nothing to do with my procedure). I wanted to take a picture smiling and compare it to my resting face because, as you can see, the area around my mouth is smooth, but not completely so I still have a very natural look. So…not only did English give me filler to smooth my lower face, she also corrected the look of my upper lip.

It is my opinion, that any trained person can inject filler, but some people are true artists and can use filler to enhance an aging face and create a natural look. English is one of those and I’m so happy to have had the good fortune to find The Curated Aesthetic and can’t wait to go back and have and talk to her about other areas such as my neck and my hands!

More Facts About Juvéderm

Products in the Juvéderm Collection are FDA approved and have been widely studied. Numerous clinical studies have been completed globally evaluating the safety and effectiveness of these fillers.

Actual treatment with Juvéderm injectable gels can take 15 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on which area of your face is being treated.

Juvéderm injectable gels contain pain-reducing lidocaine to help manage pain or discomfort during the injection. You may also ask your aesthetic healthcare provider about a topical numbing cream or ice to help further minimize discomfort.

You will see results immediately/instantly and the overall final result (after any bruising goes away and the filler completely smooths out) will can be seen in about 1 - 1/2 weeks.

The most common side effects are redness, swelling, pain, and tenderness. Minimize exercise, sun or heat exposure, and alcoholic beverages within the first 24 hours following treatment to avoid worsening these side effects and be sure to talk with your practitioner about post-care instructions following treatment.

Watch the video below to see the details of my experience first hand!

I hope you’ve found this post informative and that it helps you understand what is involved with Juvéderm injectable filler. Please feel free to leave comments and thanks so much for reading today!

The picture above is completely unedited and was taken 2 days ago, May 22, 2023! Again, I am very pleased with my result. My cheeks are fuller and the area around my mouth is less creased.

*My information about Juvéderm came from their website. The other information provided is from my experience.