Restylane ® - Dermal Fillers

It is manufactured by Q-Med and launched in 1996 for the UK market. It is believed to be one of the most popular brands in the UK with most practitioners approving its use in treating patients with different medical conditions of the face. It therefore stands out as one of the most popular dermal fillers in the UK market. Since its introduction into the market, it has been used by over 4 million people across the world with additional product range formulations developed with different sizes of the gel particles specifically for use in some areas of the face. Restylane® Lidocaine and Restylane® Perlane are available as of 2009 with an additional 0.3 percent lidocaine. It is generically a non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid gel (NASHA) and is made through the process of streptococci bacteria fermentation and does not require any tests before treatment is administered. The hyaluronic acid, once the substance is injected into the body; breaks down gradually finally leaving the treated area with no left trace of the filler-implying that the product is temporary in application and so can only last for some limited amount of time.

The product ranges consequently are mainly Restylane, Perlane and Touch. Restylane works best when injected into the middle skin layer which is also the middle layer of the dermis and is used for lip enhancement and also treatment of moderate wrinkles; enabled by the presence of intermediate sized gel particles. Perlane is large in gel particle composition and is suitable for facial contouring, lip enhancement and deep lines. It is advisable to inject it into the deep layer of the skin. Touch is the smallest of all in terms of particle size and is best for very thin superficial lines, with injections right into the upper section of the dermis. Other formulations in the product range include Lipp, SubQ, Vital and Vital Light which is targeted at treatment areas like the neck, face, the area between the neck and breasts (decotellage) and hands. The hyaluronic acid that is lost due to aging can be replaced by application of this range formulation. All the product ranges cannot be used for patients with known conditions of hypersensitivity towards hyaluronic acid. The duration for effects lasts for a few months depending on the practitioner, type, amount and area of administration. Effects that have been reported by those who have used the product include irching, pain, swelling, discolouration and tenderness at the point of aplicatiopm. Temporary palpable lumpiness can also occur in some groups of patients. Though in rare cases, granuloma has been equally reported in 1 out of every 15,000 cases of treatment. Depending on circumstances of area, amount and practitioner, the costs are in the range of £250- £400 for every treatment.