Side Effects of Restylane Injections
- Restylane is a clear gel filler that is injected under the skin to eradicate wrinkles, plump the lips and fill in acne scars. It is made from a base of hyaluronic acid, a natural compound found in the human body which works to trap water in and maintain the size and spacing of young, healthy skin cells. Along with collagen and elastin, hyaluronic acid is responsible for the plump, firm elastic skin of our youth. As we age, we lose these compounds and wrinkles, sagginess and sallowness set in.
- The hyaluronic acid used in Restylane does not come from animals. It is manufactured from streptococcus bacteria, which is then purified, sterilized and stabilized. It has been widely used in Europe and other parts of the world since 1996 and was approved by the FDA in 2003. Over one million procedures have been performed using Restylane. The fact that it is not animal-based helps to reduce the potential allergic reactions more commonly found with animal-based products.
- Restylane is injected with a fine needle into the skin below the target wrinkle or in the lip. Once injected, it lifts from the inside out. The effect is immediate and lasts for six to 12 months, during which time your body absorbs the gel.
- Mild stinging and burning during the injection is common, but a topical anesthesia can help minimize the pain. Typical side effects include redness, swelling, itching and pain at the injection site which may last for up to a week. Around 20 percent of all patients experience some degree of bruising. Some small, but usually invisible, bumps sometimes appear at the injection site but gradually go away after being absorbed by the body. All of these side effects are mild.
- Occasionally there are patients that experience hypersensitivity to Restylane, occurring in one out of 2,000 patients. This hypersensitivity causes more severe reactions, such as extended redness and extreme tenderness. These symptoms can take as long as four weeks to disappear. Granuloma is a rare, but serious, inflammatory reaction to Restylane that may require surgery.
