Restylane treatments (Restylane Silk, Restylane Lyft, Restylane, Restylane Refyne, and Restylane Defyne) are a type of hyaluronic acid dermal filler. This wide range of treatments can be used for a diverse range of cosmetic needs.
Dermal fillers, like Restylane, help mitigate the signs of aging, by smoothing out the skin and filling fine lines, and wrinkles by adding volume to the skin.
In this article, we are going to be discussing:
- What is Restylane?
- What are Dermal Fillers and Hyaluronic Acid
- Restylane: How long does it last and how quickly do treatments work?
- What To Know Before Getting Restylane Treatment
- Restylane vs. Juvederm
What is Restylane?
Restylane is a range of products, which includes Restylane Silk, Restylane Lyft, Restylane, Restylane Refyne, and Restylane Defyne, that use hyaluronic acid dermal fillers to mimic the hyaluronic acid naturally produced by your body.
Like other fillers, Restylane is used to smooth out the skin, fine lines, and wrinkles by adding volume to the skin. To clarify, it is not a neuromodulator, like Botox.
Some of the most common areas treated with Restylane are the smile lines (wrinkles that form around the mouth) and the lips.
Let us dive into what each of the Restylane products targets and how each of them helps patients reach their cosmetic goals.
The first, Restylane Silk is used for lip fillers, to give the lips a plump look, and to smooth wrinkles around the mouth. If you are looking to augment the size of your lips, Restylane Silk is a great option because it is made of a smaller gel that is smooth and precise.
The second, Restylane Kyss is another lip filler treatment that allows for greater movement in the lips, providing a more natural look.
The third, Restylane Lyft is a filler used to fill the cheeks and hands. Mainly used for mitigating the signs of aging, Restylane Lyft is used to smooth out the surface of the skin and treat subtle wrinkles, such as smile lines.
The fourth, Restylane Refyne is used to smooth out smile lines and allows for natural movement in the face, which is often a concern for those getting cosmetic injections.
The fifth, Restylane Defyne is also used to smooth out wrinkles and lines on the face. However, Restylane Defyne is specifically used for deeper-set wrinkles by mimicking your body’s natural production of hyaluronic acid.
What are Dermal Fillers and Hyaluronic Acid
Dermal fillers are used to mitigate the signs of aging by filling fine lines and wrinkles to smooth out the skin.
Unlike neuromodulators, like Botox which blocks the action of certain nerves to relax muscles in the face, dermal fillers, like Restylane, add lost volume back into the skin or create volume in desired areas.
Hyaluronic acid fillers, specifically, vary in thickness and therefore can be interchanged depending on the patient, their needs, and their skin type. The entire range of Restylane products is made of hyaluronic acid, adding elasticity and hydration back to the skin.
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar that is naturally found in the body and is responsible for hydrating the skin. For example, many creams and moisturizers contain hyaluronic acid because of its humectant properties, drawing in and retaining moisture in the skin.
However, as we get older this supply of hyaluronic acid in our bodies depletes, aging the skin.
In terms of fillers, hyaluronic acid functions the same as it would in a topical, it draws water and moisture into the skin. However, when injected, this drawing in of water plumps the skin.
Restylane: How long does it last and how quickly do treatments work?
Each of the Restylane treatments lasts a different amount of time, based on where they are being injected.
We are going to summarize some of the information that the official Restylane website has given regarding how long each treatment lasts.
In general, Restylane treatments last up to 18 months in the smile lines.
For Restylane Lyft specifically, the treatment lasts 12 months in the cheeks, and 6 months in the hands and face.
Restylane Silk, used primarily for the lips, lasts about 6 months.
Additionally, Restylane Refyne and Defyne are used to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines in the face, lasting about 12 months.
Finally, the process of getting Restylane is quick and easy, as it is simply injected into targeted areas.
An appointment should take under an hour and depend on how many areas are being treated.
Once injected, Restylane starts working immediately, smoothing out your skin and plumping the areas you wish to augment.
Because the body already produces hyaluronic acid naturally, when it is injected, it acts in the same way, therefore instantly pumping the skin, but also eventually breaking it down.
Although the treatment is not fully non-invasive, as it involves injections, it has a very quick recovery time.
Patients who receive Restylane injections will recover in less than a day.
What to Know Before Getting Restylane Treatment
Before undergoing any cosmetic treatments, it is important to understand the risks of doing so.
First and foremost, it is important to know that Restylane treatment is not approved for those under the age of 21. Those under the age of 21 still have a sufficient amount of hyaluronic acid in their skin and therefore do not need to inject additional hyaluronic acid, doing so would be counterproductive.
No cosmetic procedures are without side effects. Therefore it is important to know the side effects of Restylane before getting treatment.
Some side effects include swelling, bruising, and pain in the injected area. As well as itching at the injection site. Finally, it could also cause headaches. Additionally, some patients may have adverse effects from Restylane.
Therefore, you should avoid this treatment, or seek an alternative if:
- You are allergic to bacterial protein
- Taking blood thinners, like aspirin
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You are under the age of 21
Additionally, to mitigate any complications, there are some steps you can take before getting treatment.
Certain medications, such as blood thinners like aspirin, can increase bruising. So, stop taking aspirin about a week or two before your treatment is scheduled.
Vitamin E and fish oil supplements can increase the risk of heavy bleeding, so avoid taking them before your treatment as well.
If you are looking for a way to mitigate bruising and bleeding, you can begin taking an arnica supplement, which can be found at the drugstore.
Restylane vs. Juvederm
Juvederm is another very common dermal filler and is also made with hyaluronic acid. However, if you are deciding between Juvederm and Restylane, there are some differences between the two.
First, Restylane has a more granular texture, while Juvederm is smoother. This allows for Restylane to stay put where it was injected and is more moldable, meaning it can create better contours in the skin.
Juvederm, on the other hand, is better for smaller, tighter areas because of its smooth consistency.
Second, because of their differing texture, Juvederm and Restylane are used to treat different areas. Juvederm is mainly used for treating fine lines around the mouth and eyes, as well as adding volume to the cheeks.
Restylane is used for these areas as well but is most effective in the cheeks, lips, and around the nose. It is also used to add volume back into the hands.
Third, although both Juvederm and Restylane take effect very quickly, the results of Juvederm are virtually automatic, while Restylane takes about a day to show results.
Overall, both types of dermal filler last the same amount of time and must be reinjected to maintain their effect.
Additionally, fillers give a plumping and lifted look to the face without surgery and are not painful treatments.