Restylane Injections in Beverly Hills

Restylane and Restylane injections, according to Restylane USA, has been used in over 3 millions treatments in over 70 countries to reduce lines and fill in folds.  Restylane is a natural substance (hyaluronic acid) that already exists in the body and is free of animal products.  When Restylane is injected into the skin, Restylane causes a filling, a plumping effect that restores a softer, more youthful appearance to the face.

Dr. Francis Palmer and our highly trained staff will perform Restylane Injections as an office visit.   Restylane is a safe and highly effective treatment when Injected along the Lip margins (vermillion Border).  Restylane can give the lips a plump, pouty, youthful appearance.  Restyalne can also be used to fill in facial folds like the nasolabial folds (folds between the corner of the nose and the mouth) and the Jowls (folds from the corner of the mouth down to the chin).   When Restylane is used to fill in these folds, the result is an overall soft, youthful and attractive appearance.  Restylane can help you achieve this look in less than 30 minutes…there may be some minimal swelling and redness following your Restylane Injections and Dr. Francis Palmer advises you to use ice therapy that day.  Most patients having Restylane treatments can use makeup to cover the area immediately following the treatment and many return to work after their Restylane.

Restylane can last up to six months after which time a follow up Injection of Restylane will be required to maintain the plumping effects.  Like all soft-tissue fillers, Restylane when used properly is a wonderful product and can give quick, favorable cosmetic improvements when in the hands of an experienced provider. 

Here at the Beverly Hills International Center for Aesthetic Surgery, we have highly trained personnel to perform your Restylane Injections in a safe and friendly environment…..Contact us today!

Here’s a list of frequent Q/A from Restylane USA (paraphrased)

Question: What is Restylane^®?
Answer: Restylane is a safe and natural skin filler used to restore volume to the facial wrinkles, folds and lips.

Q: Restylane is made of what substance?
A: Restylane iscomposed of non-animal hyaluronic acid.  Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that exists inthe human body.   Restylane has a crystal-clear gel form of hyaluronic acid called NASHA™ that is  biodegradable and completely biocompatible with human hyaluronic acid.

Q: Is Restylane different than other hyaluronic acid-based products?
A: Unlike chicken (rooster) derived hyaluronic acids and bovine collagen products, Restylane doesn’t contain animal proteins.  Because Restylane doesn’t have this, this limits any risk of animal-based disease transmissions or an allergic reaction to animal proteins.   This allows Restylane to be Injected without waiting for the results of a skin test for possible allergies.  This used to delay treatments for 30 days.  Now, you can have your Restylane treatment during your initial visit.

Q: What should patients do prior to treatment?
A: As we stated above, Restylane requires no allergy pre-testing.  But common sense still suggests that prospective Restylane patients follow the following precautions before having Restylane Injection Treatments.  Avoid substances that can thin the blood such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, St. John's Wort, or high doses of Vitamin E supplements as these may increase bruising or bleeding at the injection site.  As with any local injection, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to a recurrence if you have previously suffered from facial cold sores.

Q: Where, on the face, can Restylane be used?
A: Restylane has been used to correct a variety of wrinkles and folds such as nasolabial folds and jowls.   Dr. Francis Palmer and our highly trained staff have used Restylane in the following areas:

• Fill out the borders of the lips
• Fill out the Marionette lines and folds (folds that turn down the corners of the mouth). 
• Plump up facial depressions and larger skin imperfections
• Plump up Nasolabial Folds (folds from corner of nose to the mouth)
• Plump up Jowls (folds from corner of nose to chin)

Q: How long will the effects of my Restylane Treatment last?
A: Although individuals may vary, typically Restylane lasts for about six months.

Q: How often should I have Restylane and Restylane treatments?
A: Individual variations make the possibilities endless.  Dr. Francis Palmer and his highly trained staff will customize your treatment schedule and plan your Restylane Injections to optimize your cosmetic improvements.  Restylane, like all of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery is an art…we’ll help you get the most out of your Restylane Treatments.  Restylane will give you filling and plumping effects that make your face appear more youthful.  Restylane should be used to get the optimum effects…once these effects have been achieved, Restylane should be repeated at a reasonable interval in order to maintain those effects. 

Q: How does Restylane differ from Botox^®?
A: Dr. Francis Palmer offers Botox as a treatment, an injection, to soften lines and wrinkles of the face.  Botox is typically used, in Dr. Palmer’s opinion, where the muscle can be safely weakened without adversely effecting facial animation and expression.  See Excerpts from Dr. Palmer’s training course on Botox Injections for Cosmetic Enhancement  Dr. Palmer believes this implies that some of the areas where Restylane is used, Botox should not be injected. 

For example, the Nasolabial folds (folds between the nose and the mouth).  Now you may be asking, why is that?  Because, Botox weakens these muscles and the resulting weakness would most likely cause the face to droop…this would not be a good look or a cosmetic improvement.  Similar effects seem likely if Botox were used in the Jowl areas (fold between the mouth and the chin) however, Dr. Palmer does inject a very small dose of Botox to a specific area of the Jowls to selectively weaken the Depressor muscle of the mouth (corner of the mouth).  This allows the corner of the mouth to raise up decreasing the Marionette line and fold.   This is an advanced Botox Injection technique and should only be attempted by a highly experienced Botox Injector, like Dr. Francis Palmer.   Another difference between Botox and Restylane underscores how each product should be used.  Botox is a liquid that does not have any filler characteristics.  Botox when injected below the layers of the skin where it is closer to the muscle, will cause that muscle to become weaker.  The Botox weakened muscle is then less able to cause lines and wrinkles in the skin.  Botox does not fill in folds or depressions.

Restylane is a natural, cosmetic filler.   The emphasis here is on the filler aspect.   Because Restylane Injections are delivered within the layers of the skin and do not cause weakness of the underlying muscles, Restylane can be used as an Injection to fill out wrinkles, folds and depressions in the skin.   Many of Dr. Palmer’s patients have been very pleased after receiving treatment with both of these truly remarkable products.

Q: How is Restylane different from collagen…either Bovine or the human variety (Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast)?
A: Bovine collagen is derived from cows and because cows are not human, this type of Collagen requires an allergy test before a treatment can be administered.   Human forms of Collagen (Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast) do exist.  These are derived from human collagen and do not require pre-injection skin tests.  Restylane, contains hylauronic acid, does not contain animal products and can be administered without pretesting, so no waiting is required. With Restylane there is limited risk of animal-based disease transmission or allergic reaction.

Q: Are Restylane Injections painful?
A: Restylane is injected into the skin in tiny amounts using an ultrafine needle.  There is minimal discomfort. The procedure is simple and convenient, and results are practically instantaneous.  To optimize your comfort during the short procedure, your physician may anesthetize the treatment area.

Q: How much will my Restylane treatments cost?
A: Restylane is a customized procedure based on your specific needs and desires, so the cost will vary from patient to patient.  In general, the cost of Restylane should be comparable to the cost of similar procedures. Because Restylane may be long-lasting, it may be very economical over the long term.

Q: Are Restylane Injections safe?
A: Yes.  According to Restylane USA, Restylane has been used since 1996 worldwide.   Restylane has a highly favorable safety profile.   Restylane is fully biocompatible.   No allergy testing is required before use.  The most common side effects were temporary redness and swelling at the injection site but these tended to typically resolve in less than seven days.
 
The following Precautions are listed by Restylane USA:

• The safety of Restylane for use during pregnancy, in breastfeeding females or in patients under 18 years has not been established.
   
• The safety of Restylane in patients with increased susceptibility to keloid formation and hypertrophic scarring has not been studied.  Restylane should not be used in patients with known susceptibility to keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring.
   
• The patient should be informed that he or she should minimize exposure of the treated area to excessive sun and UV lamp exposure and extreme cold weather until any initial swelling and redness has resolved.
  
  
• If laser treatment, chemical peeling or any other procedure based on active dermal response is considered after treatment with Restylane there is a possible risk of eliciting an inflammatory reaction at the implant site.  This also applies if Restylane is administered before the skin has healed completely after such a procedure.

Restylane…..Restylane Injections…..Restylane Treatments…..

Don’t wait any longer.  Now that you have the answers to some important questions, why wait?  Restylane is a safe, natural formulation, so there are no delays for allergy testing prior to treatment. The simple procedure can be done during your lunch hour and the effects are immediate.

If you want to enjoy a smoother, more youthful appearance for about six months, ask Dr. Francis Palmer if Restylane is right for you.