Restylane is a dermal filler that has quite an impact on reducing the appearance of facial wrinkles and restoring a more youthful appearance. It works to boost facial volume, which in turn, blurs lines on the face. If you’re someone who wants to look and feel younger, Restylane may be right for you. Use this guide to help you understand the product and what it can do for you, both for wrinkle reduction and beyond.
What is Restylane?
Before you can decide if Restylane is right for you, it’s a good idea to have an understanding of what it is.
It’s an injectable hyaluronic acid filler that was created to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles on your face.
Restylane was the first hyaluronic acid filler to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for cosmetic injection into subdermal facial tissues but the brand/family has evolved to have other uses with cosmetic benefits. Because it adds volume to your facial contours, it can be used to plump up various facial features. Restylane dermal filler is one of many cosmetic treatments that are marketed for anti-aging, and it could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Restylane for Wrinkle Reduction
Similar to other hyaluronic acid-based fillers, Restylane works by boosting collagen production, which smooths fine lines and deep wrinkles, while also boosting volume throughout the face. The result is a plumped-up appearance, which helps you look younger and feel more confident about what you see when you look in the mirror. Many areas of the face can be targeted with dermal filler injections, and Restylane is no exception. These areas are:
- Undereye area
- Cheeks
- Nasolabial fold (smile lines & frown lines)
- Lips
- Marionette lines
- Chin
- Backs of the hands
These are parts of the face and body that tend to show your age sooner than others and staying on top of anti-aging by having Restylane applied to your trouble spots can keep your youthful glow, no matter your age. But that’s not all Restylane can do.
Benefits of Restylane
As you have already figured out, Restylane treatments have anti-aging benefits due to its ability to offer dramatic improvements in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as help enhance the proper structure of the face by boosting volume. The benefits don’t stop there, however. There are some other things you might consider undergoing a filler treatment for.
- Smooth and firm the skin
- Brighten the skin
- Noticeable improvement of acne scars
- Boost skin hydration
- Safe and effective
- Provides long-lasting results
- Versatile
- Lower risk of allergic reactions
- Natural looking results
Preparing for Your Treatment
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to be adequately prepared before you undergo Restylane, whether it’s to target deeper wrinkles, facial folds, deep laugh lines or to boost lip volume. The most important thing to do is to stop taking the following medications or supplements containing them in the two weeks before your injections.
- Fish oil
- Vitamin E
- Aspirin
- St. John’s Wort
- Ibuprofen
- Any blood thinners,
Otherwise, you just need to know how the treatment works and what to expect after it’s over. You might consider taking an arnica supplement (with a doctor’s approval) before and after your fillers, which can help control bruising.
Restylane Procedure
It’s important to understand how dermal filler injections are done so that you can be prepared on the day of your treatment. You don’t want to go into it with no familiarity about what you expect. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy and is both a non-surgical and non-invasive procedure. Depending on how many injection sites are necessary, the entire treatment can take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour. You can expect the following steps:
- All injection sites will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution.
- Your surgeon or doctor will determine the right quantity of filler.
- Using a very small needle, the Restylane will be injected under the skin in the chosen areas.
Most of the time, the products contain a local anesthetic that is used to numb the area, which works to minimize discomfort during and immediately after the procedure.
What to Expect After Restylane
Just as important as knowing what to expect during the treatment, it’s just as vital to know what you’ll be up against afterward. This includes your aftercare instructions and any potential side effects to look for. Your surgeon will go over this information with you before you leave.
Aftercare
Your healing and recovery time is dependent on your skin type, how many injections you received and your general ability to heal. With just a few injections, you may be able to return to normal daily activity right away. On the other hand, if you’ve had many injections, you may need a day of downtime afterward.
You might also experience redness, swelling and bruising, which should resolve in the week after your injections. You’ll notice the complete results of the dermal fillers about a week after completion of the procedure. Once healed, you won’t have any activity restrictions.
Keep in mind that fillers, including Restylane, are not permanent and you will need to have touch-up treatment every 6 to 18 months to maintain your results.
Side Effects and Risks
Just as with other cosmetic options, be it a lip enhancement or a chemical peel, using Restylane has some side effects to be aware of. Some are common and will resolve fairly quickly, while others indicate that you need to call your surgeon for further advice.
Common Side Effects
There are some mild side effects to watch out for after Restylane fillers. Most will resolve in 7 to 18 days, depending on where the fillers were injected.
- Mild swelling
- Pain and itching at the injection sites
- Headache
- Bruising
- Tenderness at the injection sites
Potential Risks
In addition to some side effects that most patients experience, Restylane carries a few risks that are also important to understand. These risks are not as common in experienced hands, but should you notice any of these issues, let your doctor know right away.
- Bleeding or bruising at the injection sites
- Allergic reaction
- Infection
- Altered regularity of skin firmness
- Injection into blood vessel creating vascular occlusion
Beyond Wrinkle Reduction
Because Restylane is a hyaluronic acid dermal filler, its primary use is to smooth wrinkles and fine lines. However, you’ll be happy to know that it has other positive uses. Because it can counteract facial volume loss, it’s also a great option for reducing the appearance of deep folds, especially those around the nose and mouth. Again, this is because of the filler’s effect on collagen growth and production. Check out the other uses for Restylane below.
Undereye Hollows
When you have hollows under your eyes, it casts shadows that make the area look darker than it is. This can leave you looking tired and older. Restylane uses its gel technology to add volume to the area, plumping it. Not only will this help blur wrinkles, but it will also get rid of that shadow effect, creating a facial rejuvenation that makes you look and feel younger and much more refreshed.
Cheeks
Looking for a more defined and contoured look on your cheeks? Cosmetic procedures can help and Restylane may be your best option. That’s because it boosts volume, counteracting the appearance of sunken or sagging cheeks. Restylane creates a younger look that won’t interfere with natural movement. In other words, you get a plumped and contoured set of cheekbones, but can still smile and laugh as you normally do.
Nasolabial Folds
Sometimes called smile lines, laugh lines or parentheses, the lines created near the nasolabial folds extend from the nose and around the mouth and down toward the chin. Depending on the depth of the facial creases and your appearance goals, a small bit of Restylane or a larger amount can help you plump the entire area and take years off your face, while also giving you back your confidence.
Lips
Lip augmentation is a desire of many patients seeking to plump their lips. The dermal filler products used in Restylane is just what you’ve been looking for. A lip filler injection like this has many benefits. It will increase the lip size, making you look younger and fresher, but it can also help smooth out the fine lines that appear around the mouth, due to facial expressions and other everyday use of the area. You can also use Restylane to create a more defined lip shape and to smooth the lips themselves.
Marionette Lines
These are also sometimes called smile lines and develop around the mouth, extending outward toward the chin and jawline. Restylane is the ideal filler for smoothing these finer lines and wrinkles and helping you appear years younger. It boosts natural collagen production in the area, plumping the skin by adding volume, at the same time.
Chin
Restylane is one of the most excellent options for the chin area as well. Why? Because it can help balance the silhouette of your face with natural-looking rejuvenation that can counteract chin projection and retrusion, something that adds years to your face. If you are hoping to boost the production of collagen and keep your chin looking plump and wrinkle-free, Restylane filler is something to consider.
Backs of Your Hands
Your face isn’t the only place that shows your age. The backs of your hands can give anyone a clear picture of how old you are. That’s why choosing a robust filler as you get older can help. Restylane on the backs of your hands works to increase volume and smooth out dynamic wrinkles that appear on the thin and delicate skin in the area.
Types of Restylane
It’s imperative that you have realistic expectations when you choose Restylane injectable treatments to enhance your facial appearance and look your best. Part of getting the best results is choosing the right formulation of Restylane, based on your needs and your goals.
Restylane Eyelight
- Ideal for under-eye hollows
- Gel formulation for precise placement
- Reduce under-eye shadows
- Natural results
Restylane Kysse
- Uses crosslinked formulation of hyaluronic acid gel
- Allows you to maintain a full range of expressions
- Precise and natural-looking placement
- Fuller looking lips
Restylane Lyft
- Dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler
- Ideal for adding volume to the cheek area and back of the hands
- Lifts and refreshes
- Defines the cheekbone
- Softens laugh lines
Restylane Defyne
- Defines the shape of the chin
- Softens laugh lines
- Corrects chin retrusion
- Reduces the appearance of a double chin
- Supports facial expressions
Restylane Contour
- Designed with XpresHAn technology
- Restores cheek definition
- Allows for flexible movement
- Anti-aging
Restylane Refyne
- Smooths and softens lip wrinkles
- Softens smile lines
- Moves with your expression lines
- Natural looking results
Restylane Silk
- Ideal for natural movement of lips
- Plumps thin lips
- Smooths wrinkles and lines around the mouth
- Subtle results
Final Advice
One of the most important things to do when you decide to try dermal fillers is to find a qualified and experienced surgeon or dermatologist. When you’re in expert hands, you can expect the safest and most desirable results. Working with your surgeon allows you to create a personalized treatment plan that targets your specific trouble spots and helps you meet the goals you have for your procedure. Contact the Z Center for Cosmetic Health today to arrange your initial consultation.