With age, the skin loses its elasticity and most people develop fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Severe frown lines can make a person look angry all the time. Botulinum toxin products can help to smoothen these lines and restore a refreshed, relaxed, more youthful appearance to the face.
One of the best known brand names among such cosmetic treatments is Botox. But there are other botulinum toxin products that are equally effective in performing non-surgical facial rejuvenation, one of the newest ones being Jeuveau.
Please continue reading to learn everything there is to know about Jeuveau, also called ‘Newtox.'
What is Jeuveau or Newtox?
Jeuveau is a prescription medicine that is sometimes called new Botox or Newtox for short. It is a relatively new drug that is injected into the muscles of the face at specific locations for the treatment of wrinkles. The active ingredient in Jeuveau is botulinum toxin type A, which is the same active ingredient as Botox.
In the following paragraphs we will look at some of the similarities and differences between Jeuveau and Botox as well as other types of botulinum toxin injections.
In general, you should know that Jeuveau is considered better for certain types of facial wrinkles and is slightly cheaper than Botox.
Is Jeuveau FDA approved?
Yes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Jeuveau in February 2019. Jeuveau is the newest neuromodulator to receive FDA approval for cosmetic use as a wrinkle reducer.
How does Jeuveau work?
Jeuveau contains botulinum toxin, which is a protein made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. This toxin causes a serious type of food poisoning called botulism. However, when very tiny quantities of botulinum toxin are injected into muscle tissue, it temporarily prevents the conduction of signals from nerve cells and stops muscle contractions. This property of botulinum toxin has many medical applications, such as to treat blepharospasm (abnormal movements of the eyelid), cervical dystonia (neck stiffness), migraine headaches, overactive bladder, excessive sweating, and more. Botulinum toxin is also used in cosmetic treatments to temporarily freeze the facial muscles. Repeated muscle contractions of facial muscles during facial expressions like frowning are responsible for the formation of severe frown lines.
What areas of the body can be treated with Jeuveau?
Jeuveau is used to treat glabellar lines (frown lines between the eyebrows). Other injectables like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin which also contain botulinum toxin type A can be used to treat wrinkles in other areas of the face, such as forehead lines, crow's feet lines at the corners of the eyes, smile lines, and more. Dermal fillers (injectables that contain hyaluronic acid) are used to treat deep nasolabial folds, volume loss, and other such concerns. Your aesthetic medical professional will see you in initial consultation, understand your main concerns, and recommend the most appropriate injectables.
Who is a candidate for Jeuveau?
People who are good candidates for Botox and other botulinum toxin products are also good candidates for Jeuveau treatment. In general, you can have these treatments done provided you do not have an allergy to botulinum toxin type A. It is possible to get Jeuveau in conjunction with other injectables like dermal fillers to address specific concerns and perform more comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
People with medical conditions such as ALS or myasthenia gravis should not get neuromodulators like Jeuveau. The prescribing information for Jeuveau recommends that women who are pregnant or nursing not receive these injections. The treatment should be delayed if a patient has an active infection or inflammation in the treatment area.
Preparing for Jeuveau
Your aesthetic medical professional will see you in consultation before recommending Jeuveau injections. If you are deemed a good candidate for Jeuveau, they will discuss how many injections you need and in what specific areas of your face.
What to expect during and after Jeuveau treatments?
Jeuveau treatments are quick and virtually pain-free. The injections can be completed in less than 30 minutes and you get almost instant results (within in 3-4 days). The results are far more dramatic than what you can obtain with months of using wrinkle-reducing creams and other skincare products.
The treatment itself is pretty straightforward. Your provider will clean your face and perform the Jeuveau injection using a sterile needle. The injections are done at five locations around the frown lines. Other areas of your face are left unchanged.
Is there a recovery period after Jeuveau?
No, unlike cosmetic surgery, Jeuveau does not require any recovery time or downtime. You can drive yourself home and resume all your normal activities the same day. However, some people like to take the day off from work and relax. Your doctor will advise you about some precautions, such as avoiding rubbing the injection site so that the ingredients don’t spread to other areas and cause problems like eyelid drooping. You should also avoid lying face down for the first 24 hours.
How long does it take for Jeuveau to kick in?
Jeuveau starts working immediately, but it can take a few days for the nerve signals to be completely blocked and for you to see visible results. Most patients see a reduction in their wrinkles within 24-48 hours. The peak results are seen after 4-7 days.
What should I expect from results of Jeuveau?
Jeuveau gives comparable results to Botox, often at a lower price. It is worth noting that while injectables can treat dynamic wrinkles that are formed by repeated facial muscle contractions, they do not smoothen other wrinkles (static wrinkles) that form due to aging or gravity.
How long will the results of Jeuveau last?
Botulinum toxin injections such as Botox and Jeuveau wear off naturally after several months. Most people enjoy 3-4 months of smoother skin before needing a touch up treatment. Therefore, you need repeat injections every few months to maintain your results. You will need to wait at least 3 months before you can get repeat treatments.
How often do you have to get Botox or Jeuveau to get the full benefits?
Most plastic surgeons and dermatologists recommend getting a touch-up treatment every 3-4 months. Once you have had 2-3 rounds of treatments, you may find that you can go longer before needing a touch up, perhaps even as long as six months.
How to make Jeuveau or Botox last longer?
Neuromodulators like Botox and Jeuveau cannot last forever. However, you can prolong your results by setting up a treatment plan for regular injections. This keeps your skin looking smooth and prevents rebound wrinkles.
It's also important to follow your doctor's aftercare instructions. Avoid massaging or scrubbing or rubbing the treatment area for 24-48 hours. You should delay other cosmetic treatments like laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels, dermabrasion, microneedling, etc., for 3-7 days after Jeuveau injection because heat from these other treatments can make the Jeuveua less effective.
Good sun protection is important to delay the aging process and get the most out of your Jeuveau treatment. Sun exposure breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin and makes it less elastic and more prone to forming new wrinkles.
What happens if I stop Jeuveau or Botox?
Jeuveau and other neuromodulators give you the flexibility of starting and stopping treatments whenever you want without any adverse effects. However, your wrinkles will gradually return 4-6 months after your last treatment, but will likely still be less noticeable than before your first Jeuveau treatment. You can take a treatment break if you wish and return for further Jeuveau injections at a later time. However, you should know that regular treatments can prolong the results (you may be able to go longer without needing touch ups) and may also potentially slow the formation of new wrinkles.
Jeuveau side effects and risks
The most common side effects of Jeuveau include a temporary redness, swelling, injection site discomfort, and headache. These last for a short period and are self-resolving. If your side effects last for longer than a week, tell your doctor.
Jeuveau is a safe wrinkle treatment, but like all cosmetic treatments, it carries some risks. Your provider will explain the potential risks and complications of this treatment to you in detail. Complications of Jeuveau can include eyelid drooping, voice changes, skin infection, upper respiratory infections, and bladder incontinence. Very rarely, the botulinum toxin can spread to other parts of the body and cause botulism, which is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition.
An allergic reaction to botulinum toxin products can result in signs and symptoms such as difficulty breathing and difficulty swallowing.
How much does Jeuveau cost?
The average cost of botulinum toxin injections is around $400 per the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Botox costs $10 and $20 per unit and Jeuveau costs $8 to $16 per unit. Therefore, Jeuveau costs roughly 20-30% less than Botox. This can make a big difference as most people need about 20 units of the product, so it can be a saving of $40-$80 at each treatment. Your cost will ultimately depend on how many injections you require, where you live, and the experience level of your provider, among other factors.
Remember that health insurance does not cover cosmetic injections like Jeuveau. Some aesthetic medical professionals offer discounts and deferred payment plans, however.
Jeuveau vs. Botox: Is there a difference?
Botox is the oldest and best known injectable treatment for dynamic wrinkles. It has been safely and effectively used for over 20 years to treat frown lines, glabellar lines, and crow’s feet. Today, there are more options available besides Botox, such as Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau. These products all contain botulinum toxin and work in the same way, but there are some distinct differences between them.
Similarities between Jeuveau and Botox Injections
Both Jeuveau and Botox contain the same ingredients, i.e., botulinum toxin type A. Both are FDA-approved neuromodulators that are used to correct facial lines and wrinkles safely and effectively. Indeed, Jeuveau and Botox can be used interchangeably. The treatment experience is similar for both Botox and Jeuveau with a treatment duration of 15-30 minutes (both are lunch break procedures). The side effects, risks, and potential complications are also similar.
Differences between Jeuveau and Botox
There is a difference in the formulation of Botox and Jeuveau. Jeuveau is made using Hi-Pure technology which removes some unnecessary and potentially dangerous proteins that can interfere with the performance of the product. This makes Jeuveau potentially safer and longer lasting than Botox, but no studies or clinical trials have been done as yet to prove this.
Another difference between Botox and Jeuveau is that Jeuveau is currently only FDA approved for the treatment of glabellar lines while Botox is approved to treat glabellar lines (frown lines between the eyebrows), crow's feet lines, and horizontal forehead lines. While both products are used to treat wrinkles, Botox has medical uses in addition to the cosmetic use. Jeuveau is only approved as a cosmetic product.
Also, Botox was approved in 2002 and has a proven track record of safety and efficacy. Jeuveau is a newer product that was approved in 2019.
There can be a price difference between the two with Jeuveau costing less than Botox. It may therefore be a good option if you are looking for a cheaper option in wrinkle reduction treatment that's equally effective.
Is Jeuveau as good as Botox?
Jeuveau is less expensive than other similar products like Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin and gives very similar results. However, before choosing Jeuveau, you should know that it is newer than the other, more established neuromodulators. Also, Jeuveau is not approved for medical uses. So, if you get Jeuveau for migraine headaches or some other medical condition, it will not be covered by medical insurance.
Is Jeuveau still available?
Allergan, the maker of Botox, and its South Korean partner, MedyTox Inc., had filed a request in 2021 in the U.S. courts to ban Jeuveau, alleging that it is made using MedyTox's proprietary process. However, the ban was put on hold and Jeuveau was allowed to remain for sale in the U.S.
Can anyone administer Jeuveau or Botox?
Jeuveau, Botox, and other neuromodulators are not regulated and therefore many unlicensed and untrained providers offer these treatments without fear of legal repercussions. However, it is very important that you choose a licensed and certified aesthetic medical professional for your Jeuveau treatment to ensure a safe and comfortable experience with the expected results. Providers who perform these injections should be board certified in specialties such as dermatology, facial plastic surgery, plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, or oculoplastic surgery. With that said, some highly qualified nurse practitioners and physician assistants may also inject neurotoxins under the careful supervision of a physician.
What happens if I change to a different botulinum toxin type?
You can most likely switch from Jeuveau to Botox or vice versa without noticing any major difference in your results. Some people find that one works better than the other for them. If you try a different product and don't like the results, you can always go back to your original product. In other words, experimentation is okay as long as you allow enough time between treatments and go to a licensed injector for the treatments.
Ready for Jeuveau?
The MeTime app makes it easy to find an experienced aesthetic medical professional such as a facial plastic surgeon near you who specializes in facial cosmetic procedures like Jeuveau and Botox. In the MeTime app, you can chat with experts, share photos, do a video call, get quotes, and much more. Download MeTime today and see what a Jeuveau procedure can do for you.
