Questions and Answers Restylane

Restylane is a range of products for facial aesthetic treatments made in Sweden. They are designed to effectively reduce the appearance of unwanted wrinkles, contour and create volume in facial features such as the cheeks, chin and lips, and to revitalise the skin. Restylane is a gel based on stabilized hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a substance that naturally exists in your body. The gel is injected into the skin through a needle or cannula by a trained Restylane practitioner (in the UK a Restylane practitioner is a medical professional such as Plastic Surgeon, Cosmetic Doctor, Dermatologist, Costmetic Dentist, or Aesthetic Nurse). .

Since 2010, the Restylane range has been extended to include a skincare range which can be used in conjunction with Restylane treatments, or as a skincare regime in it's own right.  

Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that exists naturally in almost all living organisms. It binds water and can act as a lubricant and shock absorber in movable parts of the body such as joints. It is also important for the transport of nutrients, regulating water balance and giving volume and structure to our skin.

A treatment with Restylane provides an easy way to enhance your looks. The result of a single treatment can be seen instantly, and  lasts around one year*. With Restylane you will achieve  a natural looking result that does not affect facial expression as Restylane is not a toxin.  Remember your face changes over time, Restylane allows you to control you looks subtly as you age.

Restylane is the most scientifically documented HA based dermal filler in the world with comprehensive studies that support its safety and efficacy. Restylane has been used in over 15 million treatments worldwide since 1996.

*Restylane filler treatments and lip enhancement results can be seen instantly.  Restylane skinbooster treatments require an initial course of treaments for the best aesthetic outcome, consult your Restylane practitioner to discuss your personal treatment needs.  Duration can vary and is dependant upon your body's own metabolism, genetics, lifestyle as well as area treated.

Restylane resembles the body’s own hyaluronic acid, which reduces the risk of allergic reaction. Restylane is the most tried and tested HA dermal filler available today.  Restylane has long-lasting results, but is not permanent - allowing you to change your look subtly over time. It is clinically proven with extensive clinical documentation and has been the most widely used. Over 15 million treatments worldwide have been performed since 1996.

Restylane products can be used to smooth away facial lines and wrinkles, create fuller lips and shape facial contours, such as cheeks and chin, and revitalise the skin.

The most common areas treated are:

1. Nose to mouth lines (the nasolabial folds)

2. Between the eyebrows (the glabella lines)

3. Lip enhancement (adding volume, shape and hydrating lips)

4. Cheeks and chin (shaping and contouring)

5. Back of the hands, décolletage, face, neck (skin revitalisation)

Discuss your treatment needs at a consultation with your trained Restylane practitioner.  For more information on which areas can be treated with Restylane visit our treatments to discover more.

» Our treatments.

By boosting the skin’s supply of hyaluronic acid, Restylane revitalises and adds volume to the skin, instantly diminishing the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and giving a natural softer look. Restylane is a soft injectable gel consisting of stabilized (minimally modified), non-animal hyaluronic acid. The gel is tissue-friendly and closely resembles the hyaluronic acid that exists naturally in the body. It is long-lasting but not permanent.

Fillers

The Restylane range of dermal fillers are specifically designed to add volume to facial features improve facial contours.  There are a number of different Restylane fillers, each designed to work at different levels of the skin for the optimum treatment outcome.

Skinboosters

Where as Restylane fillers restore and replace volume to facial features, the Restylane range of skinboosters is specifically designed to hydrate the skin from within.  By injecting tiny 'droplets' of hyaluronic acid at the right level in the skin, Restylane skinboosters boost overall hydration and improve skin elasticity and tone.

Before

Start by making an appointment with a qualified practitioner. During consultation be prepared to discuss your  treatment expectations. After discussion of what you wish to achieve and assessment of your treatment needs, your practitioner will recommend which Restylane treatment is most suitable for you.

After the consultation, and if you are happy to proceed, your practitioner will help you complete a medical history form and you will need to sign a consent form before treatment can progress.

During

Restylane fillers are injected into the skin in small amounts using a very fine needle or cannula. The gel provides natural volume to smooth away the appearance of lines and wrinkles, enhance facial shape, or create fuller lips. Restylane skinbooster products improve the elasticity and texture of skin, maintaining and restoring the skins hydrobalance by injecting a number of tiny 'droplets' of hyaluronic acid gel into the dermis.  For the optimal result an initial course of at least three treatments, each spaced for weeks apart is recommended.

The treatment is quick, typically taking about 15-30 minutes. Treatment with Restylane does not affect facial expression and the benefits can normally be seen instantly - see our Restylane results page.

After

Restylane products are biodegradable, which means they will naturally disappear in the body. To ensure an optimal and long lasting result, a top-up treatment is recommended 6-12 months after your initial Restylane treatment. Discuss with your practitioner when a follow-up appointment may be appropriate.

After a treatment some reactions might occur, these include; are slight redness, swelling, itching, bruising, pain and tenderness. The reactions are generally mild to moderate and usually disappear shortly after injection. They typically resolve spontaneously within one or two days, but for some treatments they may last longer. Read our post treatment advice page and consult your practitioner if reactions persist.

First of all you should always contact a qualified practitioner (visit the Restylane Practitioner Finder to find clinics offering Restylane in your area) to be assured that the treatment will be performed correctly. Restylane treatments should only ever be administered by a trained medical healthcare professional (you can check they are registered with their appropriate professional organisation).  In the UK & Republic of Ireland this includes;

• Plastic Surgeon
• Cosmetic Doctor
• Dermatologist
• Cosmetic Dentist
• Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner

For your safety, be prepared to discuss your medical history during your pre-treatment consultation to ensure Restylane is right for you.  Your treatment should be undertaken in a medical environment, ask to see the treatment room and make sure it affords you privacy and is spotlessly clean. 

You may want to request to see your chosen practitioners training certificate and insurance certificate to ensure they are appropriately trained and insured for the treatment they are providing.

One of the great advantages of Restylane is that the effects are long lasting but not permanent. Duration depends on many factors, such as the individual’s skin type, skin condition lifestyle and age.

After the initial treatment, follow-up sessions are normally recommended around every 6 to 12 months depending on the individual and the area treated.  

It is recommended for a treatment with Restylane skinboosters that an initial course of approximately 3 treatments each spaced 4 weeks apart is given for the best aesthetic outcome, with a follow up session required 6 to 12 months afterwards. 

A lip enhancement treatment with the Restylane Lip Volume / Restylane Lip Refresh lasts about 6 months. 

Consult your practitioner for further information based on your individual needs.

Most people can benefit from Restylane treatment. If you wish to;

1. Reduce lines and wrinkles

2. Create more defined or fuller lips,

3. Define the contours and facial features of your face, such as chin or cheek,

4. Boost your skin’s vitality, for a healthier more hydrated skin tone (e.g.
face, hands, neck or décolletage)

Restylane should not be used in or near areas where there is or has been skin disease, inflammation or skin related  problems. Restylane has not been tested in pregnant or breast-feeding women, individuals with medical conditions that lower the body’s immune response or individuals undergoing therapy that is immunosuppressive may be more prone to infection by a skin injection procedure.

During your pre-treatment consultation, you should thoroughly discuss your medical history with your Restylane practitioner.

All products in the Restylane filler and skinbooster range are now also available with 0.3%local anaesthetic lidocaine included for a more comfortable treatment experience. 

Generally, further pain relief is not necessary when injecting into the skin to correct lines and wrinkles.  Some people may experience the treatment as a mild discomfort. A local anaesthetic topical cream can be applied to the area prior to treatment for a more comfortable experience.

The lips are a highly sensitive part of the body and, therefore, additional anaesthesia may be required before lip enhancement. This is achieved most effectively by using a dental block or local anaesthetic. 

Your Restylane practitioner will be able to advise on suitable anaesthesia for your treatment.

More than 15 million treatments have been performed since the launch of Restylane in 1996. Product related reactions are rare. There are some injection related reactions which may occur after any injection; they typically resolve spontaneously a few days after injection to the skin, within a week after injection into the lips and within two weeks after injection with Restylane SubQ. These reactions include redness, swelling, pain, itching, bruising or tenderness at the injection site.

After lip enhancement, lips may swell for up to a week, but this typically reduces after two to three days.

You should discuss side effects and post treatment reactions with your aesthetics practitioner.  In case of more pronounced reactions or if they last longer than a week contact your practitioner.

Restylane is the world’s most tried and tested HA dermal filler available today. It is the benchmark for clinical excellence in its field. Its safety and effectiveness are clinically proven and supported by extensive clinical data. Restylane has been used since 1996 in more than 15 million treatments worldwide. Q-Med, a Galderma Division, the manufacturer of Restylane, continually invests in research and development.

Restylane consists of a range of different products designed to be used at different levels in the skin to meet your treatment needs and maximise your treatment results.

Restylane fillers - Restore and enhance facial features

• Restylane / Restylane Lidocaine
• Restylane Perlane / Restylane Perlance Lidocaine
• Restylane Lip Volume
• Restylane SubQ / Restylane SubQ Lidocaine

 Restylane skinboosters - Revitalise and hydrate your skin

• Restylane Vital Light / Restylane Vital Light Lidocaine
• Restylane Vital / Restylane Vital Lidocaine
• Restylane Lip Refresh

Discuss with your practitioner during your pre-treatment consultation what products suits your needs best.

Only a medically qualified health professional should carry out a Restylane treatment (Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Doctors, Dermatologists, Cosmetic Dentists, or Aesthetic Nurses). Your practitioner should have undertaken a Q-Med recognised training course (ask to see their training certificate) for the treatment you are having and should have the appropriate insurance.

If in doubt, please contact Q-Med, a Galderma Division (the manufacturers of Restylane).

Restylane is produced by Q-Med, a Galderma Division.  Q-Med, a Galderma division, develops, manufactures and markets solutions for aesthetic and corrective treatments.

The division offers a complete worldwide portfolio in the aesthetic field including the brands Restylane, Emervel, and Macrolane as well as are other products improving patients’ health in the corrective field.

Since 2011, Q-Med is wholly owned by Galderma, a pharmaceutical company with nearly 4 000 employees specialized in dermatology and present in more than 70 countries. The site in Uppsala, Sweden, where Restylane is produced is Galderma’s Global Center of Excellence for aesthetic and Corrective solutions with state-of-the-art research, development and manufacturing facilities.

After over a decade of clinical use, over 15 million treatments worldwide with continuous research and safety as top priority, Restylane has been proven to be safe, effective and long-lasting. Q-Med, a Galderma Division continues to invest in a research and development program, in the interest of improving further patient safety and new product development.

Our UK office is based in Watford, Hertfordshire. For more information on Q-Med and Galderma visit www.q-med.com or www.galderma.com.

No skin test is required as Restylane does not contain any animal-derived ingredients.

If you have recently had a laser or chemical peel treatment, it is recommended you wait until the area is totally healed and the skin is back to its normal condition.  Consult your Restylane practitioner for more information.

Q-Med has patented a unique technology, NASHA™, which stabilizes hyaluronic acid to make it long lasting, yet similar to the body’s own hyaluronic acid This means that Restylane treatment is safe and long lasting, minimising the risk of allergic reactions.