Instantly Enhance Your Appearance
Restylane is a natural dermal filler favored by our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients that fills facial wrinkles and folds for non-surgical wrinkle treatment. Made from a water-soluble substance that is already present in your skin called hyaluronic acid, Restylane restores volume to your skin. Restylane wrinkle treatment can help you look younger and more relaxed without surgery. Restylane is also used for lip enhancement.
The wrinkle-reducing effects of Restylane injections are not permanent, but the results we achieve for our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients are instant. Although results vary, they typically last up to six months. Injections may be repeated, as necessary. Restylane is injected into the skin with thin needles, causing facial wrinkles and folds to be “filled,” adding volume to areas that have become creased because of aging. The Restylane injection process only takes about 10 minutes, and most of our Buckhead and Alpharetta patients do not need anesthesia, although a topical anesthetic can be applied, if desired.
Benefits of Restylane
The Restylane family of fillers has become a go-to for our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients who want to improve their appearance. These fillers are so popular because they offer so many different benefits. They’re versatile, they’re long-lasting, and they deliver natural-looking results. If you are looking for the right dermal filler to meet your aging or aesthetic needs, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for with a filler from this collection.
- Highly Effective Ingredients: The Restylane family of dermal fillers contain effective and high-quality ingredients that blend well with the skin’s structure and help deliver some incredible anti-aging results for our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients. Each of the formulations in this collection contains a combination of gentle ingredients that won’t cause adverse reactions in or on the skin. Instead, they gently and carefully smooth lines and wrinkles from the inside out while maintaining the integrity of your skin.
- Hyaluronic Acid-Based Fillers: Restylane fillers are made of a synthetic hyaluronic acid gel formulation that adds volume beneath the skin. Hyaluronic acid is a natural sugar that the body uses to maintain adequate moisture.
- Virtually Painless: Even if you’re scared of needles, know that you will be able to remain comfortable throughout the entirety of this treatment. Our Buckhead and Alpharetta tell us that Restylane treatments are virtually painless, and the needle used to administer the injections is very thin – so thin that you’ll barely feel it. That said, we can always apply a numbing cream to ensure you do not feel the needle in any way. The whole treatment is quick, and you’ll be in and out before you know it.
- Immediate Results: As soon as you receive your Restylane injections at our Buckhead or Alpharetta location, you’ll see the results immediately. Your results will continue to improve with every hour after your treatment, and the best results will appear within two weeks of the treatment process. Your results will look natural, your problem areas will disappear, and you’ll feel better about your appearance.
- No Downtime: Restylane appointments at our Buckhead and Alpharetta locations are not only quick, but also incredibly convenient. You can schedule an appointment whenever you have a free 30 minutes in your schedule, even during your lunch break at work. You won’t have to take off any time from work or plan around downtime once your treatment is over. You can resume your typical daily activities, and aside from following some post-treatment directives, you won’t have to spend time resting or recovering.
- Long-Lasting Results: Your results will not only be immediate, but they will also continue to improve in the weeks following your injections. What’s more, for most of our Buckhead and Alpharetta Restylane clients, results will last anywhere from six months to 12 months.
Restylane vs. Juvéderm
Both Restylane and Juvéderm are approved by the FDA to be safe and effective cosmetic injectables. These fillers contain hyaluronic acid synthesized by bacteria and not extracted from an animal source, as is sometimes believed. Hyaluronic acid is a large sugar molecule that is naturally found throughout the body and is most abundant in the skin. Hyaluronic acid can attract and bind water, which keeps the skin hydrated as well as giving it volume. Both Restylane and Juvéderm offer our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients assorted products that were developed for specific treatment areas, such as the nasolabial folds (the grooves between the nose and the lips), the marionette lines (creases extending from the corners of the mouth downward around the chin), the lips, frown lines around the brow, and more.
One difference between Restylane and Juvéderm has to do with consistency. Juvéderm is a smooth consistency gel while Restylane is a particulate or granular gel. Furthermore, Juvéderm readily diffuses into the tissues while Restylane is more cohesive and tends to stay where it is placed. There are advantages and disadvantages to both consistencies. For instance, an advantage of the cohesive nature of Restylane is that is can be used to build up volume in the face of our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients in a way that Juvéderm cannot. However, lumps can be expected with Restylane, which must be actively smoothed out during the procedure.
Another difference between Restylane and Juvéderm is duration. Juvéderm contains 35% more cross-linked hyaluronic acid than Restylane, which creates a slightly more complex formulation that some find to be longer lasting. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the duration of any type of filler also depends on the individual, because some people have faster rates of absorption than others.
How Does Restylane Work?
Restylane works by placing volume underneath your skin where you’ve lost collagen and other tissue. Restylane helps smooth out and lift skin for our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients, making it look plumper.
The hyaluronic acid in Restylane clings to your skin and the water in the acid provides volume. The acid also attracts more water, helping to preserve the recently added volume.
How to Prepare for Your Restylane Treatment
Because post-procedural swelling is to be expected and can vary depending on which area is being injected, we advise all our Buckhead and Alpharetta Restylane clients to take the steps below prior to their procedure to help reduce swelling and minimize possible bruising.
- Minimize alcohol consumption for a minimum of 24 hours prior to your Restylane treatment at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office. Alcohol can thin the blood, making it easier for bruising to occur. It is best to avoid alcohol for a minimum of three days prior to your Restylane treatment.
- Avoid certain supplements and medications before the procedure. It is best to avoid any blood-thinning agents for at least one week prior to your Restylane treatment to minimize the occurrence of bruising.
- Stop all NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications) such as aspirin, Advil, Aleve, Nuprin, Bufferin, Ibuprofen, although you can use Tylenol.
- Stop all herbal supplements such as fish oil, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, St. John’s Wort, and garlic pills.
- Always discuss any history of allergies and current medications you are taking with your provider.
- Avoid salty foods a few days before and after the treatment, as excess sodium causes the body to retain water, which in turn can worsen swelling.
- Avoid any depilatory treatments (hair removal, such as tweezing and waxing) for a minimum of two days prior to your Restylane treatment at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office. Tell your injector if you are planning any chemical peel treatments or laser treatments, as this may cause possible irritation at the treatment site.
- If you have a history of cold sores, it is important to let your injector know. There is a risk that the treatment could lead to an outbreak, so your provider may want to treat you with Valtrex.
- Tell your injector if you are on immunosuppressive therapy.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, then you are NOT a candidate for Restylane.
What to Expect During Your Restylane Treatment at Our Buckhead or Alpharetta Location
When you arrive for your Restylane injection at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office, the treatment will be straightforward, as the actual injection process typically takes less than one hour. The area to be treated with be cleaned, and your injector will numb the area beforehand, although you may feel a slight pinch from the needle itself. You should be able to go on about your day as you normally would normal after your treatment.
Aftercare and Possible Side Effects
Within the First Hour of Treatment
Immediately after the treatment, there may be redness, bruising, swelling, tenderness, and/or itching near the injection site. Avoid itching, massaging, or picking around the injection site. This is normal and generally disappears within a few hours to a few days. If these symptoms last more than three days following your Restylane injection at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office, then please contact our office.
Within Six Hours to 10 Hours of Treatment
- Avoid drinking alcohol or partaking in strenuous exercise, as it may result in additional bruising.
- Until the swelling and redness have resolved, avoid intense heat in the treated area(s). This includes sunbathing, tanning, saunas, hot tubs, or hot wax. Also avoid extreme cold, such as skiing or other winter sports.
- To help alleviate bruising, we recommend the topical application of Arnica – a natural ointment commonly used to reduce bruising. You can find this in the natural foods section of your grocery store, or at local pharmacies.
- Minimize movement of the treated area(s). However, if there is a visible bump, you can massage the area. Depending on the areas treated and the product used, you may feel “firmness.” These areas will soften and settle with time (usually one to two weeks)
- Sunscreen and makeup can be applied, and the area can be gently washed with a gentle cleanser.
After your Restylane treatment at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office, you may experience side effects, such as swelling, redness, pain, bruising, headache, tenderness, lump formation, itching at the injection site, and impaired hand function. These are typically mild in severity and normally last less than seven days in nasolabial folds and less than 14 days to 18 days in lips. Swelling may be more likely in clients under 36 years, and bruising may be more likely in clients over 35 years.
Which Areas Can Be Treated?
For our Buckhead and Alpharetta clients, the Restylane family of products can be used to add volume and fullness to the skin to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, including the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth (nasolabial folds or laugh lines), the area just below the nose and above the upper lip; the corners of the mouth; and marionette lines, which is the area that extends downward from the corners of the mouth to the jawline.