Cosmetic fillers like Restylane®, Perlane®, Juvederm®, and other hyaluronic acid fillers are an excellent alternative to surgical procedures. These products are composed of a cross-linked sugar gel that can correct wrinkles, volumize the nasolabial fold and lips, fill acne scars, and improve under-eye dark circles. Dr. Steinsapir is the inventor of a unique and effective method that specifically addresses under-eye discoloration. This technique is called the Deepfill™ method. Facial fillers last about a year and treatments are easily adjusted using hyaluronidase, if necessary. For many years, Bovine Collagen was the gold standard of fillers, but has now been displaced by Restylane® which is now the filler to which all others are compared.
Like Restylane, Perlane® is intended for volumizing, but it differs from Restylane in that Perlane is intended to provide facial volume in the deep dermis and superficial subcutaneous fat. Perlane and Restylane are not equivalent products. It is essential that your doctor places Perlane deeper than Restylane. When used properly, Perlane is an excellent alternative to volumizing products like Scluptra® and Radiesse® and even fat transfer. Treatment with Perlane also lasts well over a year.
Where are injections commonly performed?
Hyaluronic acid fillers are office-based services. You may see estheticians and unqualified individuals like medical assistants offering injections illegally in spas and salons under the justification that they have a “medical director.” No States permit this arrangement. Unless a doctor is present and performs the service, this type of situation is the illegal practice of medicine. As with BOTOX®, don’t let an unqualified individual perform your Restylane or Perlane service.
Just like BOTOX, only a licensed medical doctor or a nurse under the direct supervision of a licensed medical doctor can inject hyaluronic acid fillers. The exact details of the required qualifications vary by State so it’s important to research the individual you wish to perform the injection to ensure he or she is qualified. However, just because your doctor or nurse is minimally qualified to perform the injection does not necessarily indicate he or she is the ideal choice for the procedure. As with many other medical procedures, the best results require a certain level of qualification, skill and experience; these concerns are perhaps even more important when considering modifications to your physical appearance.
What’s the typical recovery course and what are the physical restrictions?
Many of Dr. Steinsapir’s patients resume their normal activities just after leaving the office with the exception of no workouts for 24 hours. Wait a day before going to the gym. If you don’t bruise, there will be about thirty to forty hours during which you experience minimal swelling. Many patients, both men and women, can hide this swelling right away with a camouflage makeup that matches their skin color if necessary. If your lower eyelid skin quality is poor and you often collect a small bag of puffiness under the eye, the doctor may counsel you regarding the need to consider a procedure like a chemical peel or surgery prior to getting regular filler treatments so you don’t experience prolonged recovery after each filler service. This can be discussed when you have your initial consultation.
What are common complications and how are they addressed?
Most people, about 70 percent, do not experience bruising after a Restylane treatment; the other 30 percent experience some degree of bruising; most of it mild. But a very few (one or two in a hundred) will develop a black eye. The black eye can take about two to three weeks to completely resolve, and this is a cosmetic concern without health dangers. The worst part of this is that many will assume that you were the victim of domestic violence. Glasses and makeup help to hide the bruise while it is resolving. Considering that Restylane will last over a year, the recovery process is very mild and comfortable even for these few.
For the few Restylane recipients who experience bruising, the short-lived bruise is worth the long-term results. It’s a good idea to obtain treatment at least three weeks before big events like vacations. For the biggest occasions such as your own wedding, Dr. Steinsapir advises have treatment 2 months ahead of the event to be completely certain that your pictures will turn out great.
To minimize your risk of bruising, your doctor will ask you to stop taking certain medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin. If you are taking anything prescribed by a doctor, Dr. Steinsapir strongly advise that you consult with your prescribing physician before discontinuing the medication. If your doctor suggests that you continue the medication, this does not mean that you aren’t a good Restylane candidate. If you are willing to be at a slightly elevated risk for bruising, Restylane can still be effective. Your regular doctor and your cosmetic specialist can help you decide the best route to take.
The incidence of allergic reaction varies with the products used and should be discussed with the treating physician but the incidence of allergies to these products is very low.
For unwanted highlights or bumps that occasionally occur after an otherwise excellent filler treatment, the enzyme hyaluronidase makes Restylane injections easily adjustable to a more desired aesthetic, and your doctor can even erase the treatment completely if you determine together that this is your best option. In the event that you experience lumps or unwanted effects from your Restylane treatment, hyaluronidase makes it easy to adjust hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane. This flexibility created by the ability to adjust a service is one of the most important factors making HA fillers such a popular service.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon. He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid and midface surgery. He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions. He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago. He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage. He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally. He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities. Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.
To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialized Restylane treatments, please contact us today.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.