Stylage and Juvederm: a review of similarities and differences

While many patients are familiar with the Juvederm brand, smaller, niche brands such as Stylage, a French line of hyaluronic acid fillers, may be comparable and even more suitable for your patients, depending on their aesthetic goals. This article aims to shed some light on these leading brands and examine how they compare to each other.

Similarities between Stylage and Juvederm

The Juvederm line of dermal fillers is considered an integral component of the physician’s aesthetic arsenal. It is one of the best-selling dermal filler brands on the market and is regularly used in many cosmetic injectable procedures. Its products include Juvederm Voluma, a highly volumising filler used to add fullness to large areas of the face, Juvederm Volbella, for lip plumping, and Juvederm Vollure, Ultra and Ultra Plus for smoothing lines and wrinkles.

Generally speaking, Juvederm products have a high G prime (measurement of gel hardness), but with medium to high cohesiveness, resulting in a gel that is soft and pliable, yet able to resist deformation.

Stylage is a European brand of injectable hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers. Their products include Stylage S, M and L, three products with different viscosities used to improve the appearance of wrinkles and lines, as well as rejuvenate the back of the hands. They also have a filler used specifically for lip contouring, Stylage Special Lips.

A unique feature of Stylage dermal fillers is that their formulas contain mannitol. This antioxidant is incorporated as a preventative measure against free radical damage, a factor in enhancing the stability and longevity of the gel in dermal tissue. The antioxidant effects of mannitol also help to decrease the negative effects that patients experience during treatment, such as swelling and bruising.

Stylage and Juvederm: how do they compare?

Both the Stylage and Juvederm brands offer a variety of products that carry densities of hyaluronic acid to suit different treatment purposes. In relation to this, both are suitable for a wide variety of aesthetic indications.

Stylage is manufactured using a technology similar to IPN, which involves the transformation of individual cross-linked matrices into a single phase gel by a process similar to an interpenetration network (similar to IPN). This increases the density and degree of cross-linking without the need for an additional cross-linking agent. Juvederm products, on the other hand, are manufactured with either Hylacross or Vycross technologies; both involve a unique cross-linking process. In Vycross, low and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid chains are incorporated to form a monophasic monodensified gel. The different manufacturing processes result in products with distinctive physical characteristics that affect the way they integrate with dermal tissue. For example, microscopic analysis of Juvederm products reveals a cohesive consistency, while Stylage has a lighter, less dense structure with fewer continuous networks. When implanted into the dermis, the gel is distributed evenly over the treatment area in large zones.

As mentioned before, another distinguishing feature is the added mannitol in Stylage products. This antioxidant is added to preserve the physical characteristics of the gel by preventing damage from free radicals, molecules generated by enzymes present as a result of the inflammatory response caused by the injection.

Differences between Stylage and Juvederm

Stylage and Juvederm products share many common elements, such as the raw material for both, which is hyaluronic acid. However, differences in the cross-linking technologies used to create the final product have resulted in gels with different rheological and physical properties that affect behaviour within the dermis. In addition, Stylage contains an additional ingredient, mannitol, which is incorporated to slow the degradation of the product, and therefore improve the longevity of the results. It is important for the practitioner to understand these differences when choosing the right product for optimal results.

*Disclaimer: The content of this article should not be construed as medical advice, but for informational purposes only. Nuderma staff does not review any of these articles for medical validity. The opinions expressed in this article are not endorsed by Nuderma. Please always consult your physician for professional medical advice.