NEXT day delivery available - 3pm cut off
Worldwide shipping available
Free standard UK delivery on orders over £100
This article is intended for qualified aesthetic practitioners and prescribers. It is technical information, not advice for patients.
Juvederm filler is one of the most widely stocked hyaluronic acid (HA) ranges in UK clinics, but the name covers two quite different gel families. The Ultra products use Allergan's older Hylacross technology; the Vol- products (Volbella, Volift, Voluma, Volux) use Vycross. Knowing which family a syringe belongs to tells you more about how it will behave in tissue than the number on the box. This guide sets out how the range is built, where each product tends to sit in a treatment plan, and the practical points that matter when you are ordering and storing stock.
Every product in the Juvederm dermal fillers line is a cross-linked HA gel, and most of the injectable fillers are supplied with 0.3% lidocaine incorporated into the gel. The differences come from how the HA is cross-linked, the HA concentration and the degree of cross-linking, which together drive firmness (G′), cohesivity, spread and how much water the gel draws in after placement.
Hylacross gels are made from high molecular weight HA. The Ultra products (Ultra 2, Ultra 3, Ultra 4 and Ultra Smile) share a higher HA concentration than the Vycross gels; the US directions for use for Juvederm Ultra XC, for example, state 24 mg/mL cross-linked HA with 0.3% w/w lidocaine. Within the family, products differ mainly in degree of cross-linking and particle characteristics, which is why Ultra 4 feels noticeably firmer on extrusion than Ultra 2.
In practice, Hylacross gels are relatively soft and hydrophilic. They spread readily and integrate well, which suits lips and mid-to-deep dermal lines, but that same hydrophilicity means practitioners should allow for some post-treatment swelling, particularly in the lips.
Vycross combines mostly low molecular weight HA with a smaller proportion of high molecular weight HA. Micheels and colleagues describe it as a gel that mixes a high proportion of low molecular weight HA with a smaller fraction of high molecular weight chains for cohesivity, giving a tighter network that needs less BDDE (J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2017). One caveat: that paper was a two-subject comparison with editorial support funded by the maker of a competing filler, so treat it as a description of the technology rather than as outcome evidence.
The practical result is a set of gels with lower HA concentrations than the Ultra range, yet good lift for their concentration and comparatively low water uptake. Lower swelling is one reason the Vycross products are often chosen for areas where predictability matters, such as the tear trough and the lip border.
Concentrations below are as published for the products; always check the directions for use supplied in the box for the UK-licensed indications, depth and technique.
Juvederm Volbella is the softest of the injectable Vycross fillers and a common choice for juvederm lip filler work where you want definition and hydration rather than bulk: vermilion border, philtral columns, fine perioral lines and, in experienced hands, the tear trough. Its low swelling profile makes it easier to judge the final result on the day. If you are comparing tear trough options more broadly, our guide to the best filler for tear trough covers the alternatives.
Juvederm Volift sits in the middle of the range. It is used for moderate to deep lines such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines, and some practitioners use it for lip volume where Volbella is too subtle. It flexes well with facial movement, which helps in the dynamic perioral region. Volift Retouch is a smaller-volume presentation of the same gel.
Juvederm Voluma is the volumiser of the family. The US directions for use list deep (subcutaneous and/or supraperiosteal) injection for cheek augmentation, chin augmentation and supraperiosteal temple treatment. It is typically placed on bone for structural support in the midface, often by bolus with a needle at the zygoma and by cannula for broader subcutaneous areas. The same document notes that cannula use was clinically evaluated with a specific 25G cannula, a reminder that the device you pair with the gel is part of the protocol.
Juvederm Volux is the firmest gel in the Vycross line, designed for jawline and chin definition. It has the highest HA concentration of the family (25 mg/mL) and is intended for deep, supraperiosteal placement where a crisp mandibular border or chin projection is the goal. Because it holds shape firmly, it is less forgiving if placed too superficially.
Allergan also markets HA skin quality products within the Juvederm family, such as Volite and SkinVive. These are delivered as intradermal microdroplets to improve skin hydration and texture rather than to add volume, so treat them as part of a skin booster plan rather than a filler plan.
A simple way to think about product selection is to match gel firmness to the depth and the job you need it to do:
Many clinics stock a small core set, typically Volbella, Volift and Voluma, and add Volux and the Ultra products as demand dictates. Ordering the full Juvederm range from a single supplier also simplifies batch tracking for your records.
The most common comparison practitioners search for is Juvederm against Restylane. Restylane's NASHA and OBT gels are built differently from Vycross: NASHA products are firmer, particle-based gels, while OBT (Optimal Balance Technology) gels vary cross-linking to tune flexibility. Neither family is universally better. Juvederm's Vycross gels are often preferred where low swelling and smooth spread are priorities, while some injectors choose Restylane's firmer gels for precise projection. Our Restylane filler guide walks through that range in the same format, so you can compare like for like.
Juvederm syringes are usually supplied with needles in the box, but many practitioners pair the deeper gels with a blunt cannula for midface, jawline and lip body work. Gel firmness affects the gauge you can comfortably use: Volbella and the Ultra products extrude smoothly through finer devices, whereas Voluma and Volux generally need a wider bore to keep extrusion force steady and control the volume delivered. Keep a selection of cannulas in 22G to 25G so you can match the device to the product and the plane. Our cannula buying guide covers length and gauge selection in more detail.
All Juvederm products are HA-based and can be broken down with hyaluronidase, which is a prescription-only medicine and must be prescribed and supplied in line with UK requirements. Have a written complications protocol, emergency kit and access to a prescriber in place before treating, particularly in high-risk zones such as the nose, glabella, tear trough and temples. Aspiration, slow low-pressure injection, small aliquots and good anatomical knowledge remain the basics regardless of the gel.
Firmer, more cohesive gels such as Volux and Voluma need particular care at depth around named vessels. Softer gels such as Volbella are not risk-free simply because volumes are small; the periorbital area carries its own vascular and oedema risks.
Buy from a UK supplier that sources through legitimate distribution channels and can provide batch and lot information. Counterfeit fillers do circulate, so check packaging, lot numbers and the patient record stickers on arrival.
For storage, follow the directions for use in the box. The US Ultra XC directions, for example, state storage at room temperature up to 25°C and not to freeze. Keep stock away from direct sunlight and heat sources, rotate by expiry date and record batch numbers in each patient's notes so you can trace any product if needed.
No. Juvederm is a brand of dermal filler made from cross-linked hyaluronic acid. The HA is chemically cross-linked (Hylacross or Vycross) so it lasts far longer in tissue than unmodified HA, and most products also contain 0.3% lidocaine.
Neither is better across the board. The right choice depends on the area, the depth and the result you want. Vycross gels tend to swell less and spread smoothly; some Restylane gels offer firmer projection. Most experienced injectors use products from both ranges.
Any HA filler can be displaced if it is overfilled, placed in the wrong plane or injected under excess pressure. Choosing an appropriately firm gel for the depth, using conservative volumes and correct technique reduces the risk. Juvederm gels are not immune to this.
Both are Vycross gels for deep placement. Voluma (20 mg/mL) is the general volumiser for cheeks, chin and temples. Volux (25 mg/mL) is firmer and designed specifically for jawline and chin definition.
Volbella is the usual choice for definition and subtle hydration, while Ultra 3 or Volift are used when more volume is planned. Ultra Smile and Ultra 2 suit fine perioral lines.
The quickest way to use Juvederm filler well is to sort the range into its two families. Hylacross Ultra gels are soft and hydrophilic, which suits lips and dermal lines. Vycross gels give more lift for their concentration and swell less, and they step up in firmness from Volbella through Volift and Voluma to Volux. Match the gel to the depth and the job, pair it with the right needle or cannula, and keep your storage and batch records in order. You can browse the full Juvederm collection, including Juvederm Voluma with Lidocaine and Juvederm Volbella with Lidocaine, on Filler World.
