Restylane™ - Related FAQ's

Q: I used to have collagen injections for my deep lines around the mouth called laugh lines, but I had developed an allergy to the collagen. I was told it was because the collagen had come from cow's skin. It has been many years since my last treatment and I look so much worse. Would injecting Juvederm™ or Restylane™ be safe for me?

A: When collagen injections were done, I would do two skin tests weeks apart before treating a patient because three percent of the population is allergic to the collagen injectable product. Then human collagen was cultured in the laboratory and the prevalence of allergies became much less but this is hardly used any longer as hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Juvederm™ and Restylane™, which are the second-generation hyaluronic acid fillers, tend not to cause allergic reactions. No skin test is needed prior to the first treatment with either Juvederm™ or Restylane™. Delayed immune reactions are also extremely uncommon with these products compared to some other fillers.

Q: I am a moderately dark-skinned woman and want to have fillers injected into my smile creases. Will I have to worry about skin darkening in these areas because of the Restylane™ being injected?

A: Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation is common for some people. Their melanocytes deposit more melanin, the pigment granules, in the dermis almost as a tattoo, after inflammation. Inflammation occurs with healing, after trauma including rubbing, burns, bruising, friction, needle sticks, and laser treatment. Normally, Restylane™ and Juvederm™ are injected by me very slowly and with a very tiny needle and with this gentle technique there is very little bruising and very, very rarely do I ever see post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from Restylane™ or Juvederm™ injections in the face. Rarely, there is a Tyndall effect where the filler can cause a slight bluish discoloration from the way light reflects off the skin but this is not pigment and can be treated or left alone. It can be treated by extraction or dissolving with hyaluronidase injections.

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