Facial Plastic Surgeon / Procedures / Skin / Restylane
Restylane® is a safe dermal filler that is used to add volume to the face and correct facial wrinkles and folds like the fold that occurs from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth (nasolabial fold).
Restylane® is composed primarily of hyaluronic acid, which is a substance already found in the human body. The role of this compound is to provide volume to human skin. Restylane® is completely biocompatible and among all fillers used today has one of the longest track records for being safe and efficacious.
Unlike BOTOX® Cosmetic, which softens wrinkles by working on the underlying muscles, Restylane® works directly on the skin by filling in the wrinkle or adding volume to a region of the face as in lip augmentation.
Restylane® is not permanent; it is slowly broken down and absorbed by the body. This process takes 6-12 months, but depends on the location treated and the injection technique.
For instance, injections to soften the groove below the lower eyelid can last much longer than 1 year whereas injections into the lips can dissipate in less than 6 months. Having a second treatment before the product has fully dissipated may enhance the effect and require a much smaller amount for the second treatment.
The most common areas of injection include the cheeks, lips, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, frown lines, hollows above and below the eyelids, and hollows in the temporal area just outside of the eyebrows.
Restylane® can also be used to add volume to the hands, soften the chin fold, improve the appearance of acne scars, improve nasal deformities, and treat various contour deformities from trauma, surgery, or syndromes of soft tissue atrophy.
To help with bruising and swelling, an ice pack can be used for 20 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours after treatment, but this is not absolutely necessary.
Patients are advised to remain upright and to avoid lifting, bending, or straining for the first day after treatment. After this time, all activities are unrestricted.
Makeup can be applied at any time after the procedure. The effects of Restylane® are seen immediately, but may be distorted somewhat by redness or swelling. This can take up to one week to resolve completely.
Restylane® is injected into the skin in tiny amounts with the use of a very fine needle or with a cannula which is our preferred method. Prior to treatment, the area is made numb with a topical or injectable anesthetic; any sedation or heavy anesthesia is not needed.
Also, if you frequently get cold sores, this procedure may cause a recurrence. You may be a candidate for an oral medication to be taken around the time of the procedure to prevent this from happening.
In general, Restylane® is very safe and complications are rare. A small amount of redness and swelling is typical. If any bruising occurs, it should resolve within one week. These are not true complications, but part of the injection process.
Complications that can occur include small lumps, irregularities, asymmetries, worsening of small spider veins, infection, activation of a cold sore, and an allergic reaction. There have been reported cases of tissue necrosis and even blindness related to filler use but these are exceedingly rare. Most of the time complications are easily dealt with and in rare circumstances require the injection of a substance to neutralize the Restylane®.
Also, patients who are pregnant, nursing, under 18, or have a history of keloid formation should not use Restylane.