Restylane

What is Restylane®?
A Restylane® is a crystal clear injectable gel composed of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance that already exists in the body. Restylane® is nonanimal based and free from animal protein. Allergy pretesting is not necessary.

How does Restylane® work?
Restylane® is injected into the skin with an ultrafine needle to plump the skin to smooth away wrinkles and folds such as the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds) or your lips.

How long does Restylane® last?
Restylane® effects generally last six months and gradually disappears from the body. If you are treated again at 4 ½ or 9 months after your first treatment, Restylane® can last up to 18 months.

Do the injections hurt?
A Restylane® is injected directly into the skin in tiny amounts by an ultrafine needle. To help maximize your comfort, you should discuss the use of numbing medicines with your doctor before treatment

Has Restylane® been studied?
A Restylane® has been studied in facial wrinkles and folds, such as the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds), and in the lips. The studies show that Restylane® effects generally last at least six months and gradually disappears from the body. If you are treated again at 4 ½ or 9 months after your first treatment, Restylane® can last up to 18 months

What are the potential side effects of Restylane®?

The most commonly observed side effects are swelling, redness, pain, bruising, headache, tenderness, lump formation, and itching at the injection site. These are typically mild in severity and typically resolve in less than 7 days in nasolabial folds and less than 14 days in lips. Serious but rare side effects include delayed onset infections, recurrence of herpetic eruptions, and superficial necrosis at the injection site.

Pre Care Instructions 

• Avoid the use of Aspirin, NSAIDS, Ginko Biloba, Garlic Supplements, Green Tea, Flax Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Vitamins A and E, and essential fatty acids for up to 1 week pre and post injection as they will increase your risk of bruising.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages 24 hours before (or after) your treatment to avoid extra bruising.
• You may take Arnica tablets 2-3 days prior to your injection to reduce the risk of bruising.
• Do not apply products that are potentially irritating for 2 -3 days before and after treatment (examples- tretinoin/retin-a, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, hydroquinone).
• Inform your provider if you have a history of cold sores to receive advice on antiviral therapy prior to treatment.
• Do not use the above stated if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your provider if you have any questions about this prior to the treatment.         

• Minimize strenuous exercise and exposure to extensive sun or heat within the first 24 hours following treatment. Exposure to any of these may cause temporary redness, swelling, and/or itching at the injection site.

Day of Treatment 

• You may use topical anesthetic medication in office before your scheduled appointment (please arrive 30 minutes prior to procedure).
• Arrive with a clean face. Please do not wear makeup.
• You May experience a mild amount of tenderness or stinging during and following injection.
• Redness and swelling are normal. Some bruising may also be visible.

Post Care Instructions 

• Ice (but avoid firm pressure) for 15 minutes 3 times the day of treatment

• You may take Acetaminophen/Tylenol if you experience any mild tenderness/discomfort

• Do not massage treated areas after treatment

• After treatment there will be moderate swelling and redness with possibility of bruising. These symptoms will resolve in about 7 days. You may apply or take Arnica tablets to help decrease the amount of bruising

• Avoid extended UV exposure until any redness/swelling has subsided. Apply SPF.

• Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours to reduce bruising. You may resume other normal activities/routines immediately.

• Avoid laser, IPL, or skin tightening treatments of the area for at least 2-3 weeks.

• You may continue your topical products as mentioned above 1 week after injection. 

• Restylane®  is contraindicated for patients with severe allergies manifested by a history of anaphylaxis or history or presence of multiple severe allergies.
• Restylane® may contain trace amounts of gram-positive bacterial proteins and is contraindicated for patients with a history of allergies to such material.
• Restylane® contains lidocaine and is contraindicated for patients with a history of allergies to such material or other amide type local anesthetics.

Most side effects will resolve with time. Your doctor may choose to treat side effects persisting over 30 days with antibiotics, steroids, or hyaluronidase (an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid).

One of the risks with these products is unintentional injection into a blood vessel. The chances of this happening are very small, but if it does happen, the complications can be serious and may be permanent. These complications, which have been reported for facial injections, can include vision abnormalities, blindness, stroke, temporary scabs, or permanent scarring of the skin.

As with all skin injection procedures, there is a risk of infection.