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| Details Procedure Risk/Side Effects Recovery Results FAQ |
Restylane® is a long-lasting and crystal-clear gel for filling out lips, facial wrinkles and facial folds. Thanks to a unique stabilization process, the hyaluronic acid in Restylane is almost identical to that naturally found in the body and only very slightly modified (0.5 - 1%). Other hyaluronic acid-based injectable implants are often modified by about 20%. Restylane is therefore completely biologically degradable (the body's metabolism of hyaluronic acid corresponds to 200 syringes of Restylane per day).
Details
Manufactured by Q-Med Laboratories in Sweden, Restylane® is an innovative product based on non-animal hyaluronic acid. The product is naturally integrated into the tissue, thus allowing important nutritive agents to pass freely through the implant, and cells to pass between fragments of the gel. Its patented stabilization method means that Restylane has a longer-lasting effect than most preparations.
Procedure
Restylane is injected into the dermis and provides volume where the concentration of the body's own hyaluronic acid has decreased.
Length: One treatment takes about 30 minutes (no pre-test required).
Anesthesia: When treating wrinkles, pain relief is usually not needed but can be easily achieved.
In/Outpatient: Inpatient procedure
Side-Effects / Risks
Even though the treated area can swell up and become red for one or two days, it is totally possible to socialize and work as normal. However, about 1 in 2000 persons has experienced transient swelling, redness and tenderness at or near the treatment site(s) up to several weeks after treatment. For further details concerning your specific treatment, please consult Dr. Patterson.
Recovery
Immediately after the treatment, the treated area can be slightly swollen and red. This is a normal result of the injection and it generally goes away in a day or two.
Results
Results can be seen immediately with no scars or marks on the face. How long the effect lasts is very individual. It depends on factors such as the structure of the skin, lifestyle and age, as well as the degree of perfection demanded. For the majority of wrinkle patients, about 50-80% of the effect remains after 6 months, with most patients choosing to have a touch-up injection within a year of the original treatment. For lip patients, a new treatment is needed after about 6 months. The best thing about Restylane is that you can replenish your natural beauty whenever you feel the need. A touch-up can be performed whenever you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is Restylane?
A. It is a gel that is injected under the skin to add volume and lift up the lips, wrinkles and folds. Restylane consists of hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance already present in the skin. Once in the skin, Restylane works with the body’s own hyaluronic acid and joins forces to create needed volume.
Q. What is hyaluronic acid?
A. It is a natural substance found in the skin that performs many functions, including creating volume to the skin, giving the eye its shape and lubricating joints.
Q. How is Restylane produced?
A. The hyaluronic acid in Restylane is manufactured by a patented process which, unlike similar products, is not derived from animal sources. This means no risk of adverse effects.
Q. What are the areas that can be treated?
A. The most common areas are the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows), the nasolabial folds (from the root of the nose to the corners of the mouth) and the lips, although other sites can also be treated. Very superficial or very deep wrinkles may be difficult to correct.
Q. What results can I expect from a lip treatment?
A. The vermilion border (area between lips and the skin) can be accentuated and the lips can be given more volume.
Q. What is a Restylane treatment like?
A. A Restylane treatment is a very easy and quick process. Since no pre-testing is needed, it can be done immediately and takes only about 30 minutes. Restylane is injected with a very thin needle under the skin and the results are instant.
Q. Do the injections hurt?
A. Injections may prick a little but normally, no anesthesia is needed for treatment of wrinkles and folds. Lip treatments can be uncomfortable and so a nerve block is usually administered. Most people report that Restylane injections are relatively painless.
Q. Can the gel be removed?
A. No, but since Restylane is a natural substance, it will dissolve with time.
Q. Is it dangerous?
A. No, Restylane is a safe product. Since hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the body, the skin does not react to it. With over 100,000 people treated to date, only a very small number have reported reactions like prolonged redness, swelling, itching or tenderness. Most have lasted no more than a couple of weeks.
Q. How will my skin look after the treatment?
A. Immediately after a treatment for wrinkles, there may be slight redness, swelling, tenderness or itching in the treated area. This generally goes away in a day or two. After a lip treatment, the lips may be swollen and look somewhat uneven. This can persist for a couple of days to a week. If it continues, consult the doctor.
Q. How long do the benefits last?
A. The lasting effects of Restylane depend on many factors such as structure of the skin, lifestyle and age, as well as the degree of perfection demanded. For the majority of wrinkle patients, about 50-80% of the effect remains after 6 months, with most patients choosing to have a touch-up injection within a year of the original treatment. For lip patients, a new treatment is needed after about 6 months. The best thing about Restylane is that you can replenish your natural beauty whenever you feel the need. A touch-up can be performed whenever you like.
Q. How will my skin look without touch-up treatments?
A. The correction will gradually disappear until your skin looks like it did before treatment. Touch-up injections will help you maintain your correction.
