Restylane® is one of the most popular dermal fillers in the world, renowned for its ability to fill wrinkles and creases and return volume to the cheeks. But you may not have heard of Restylane® Silk. The FDA approved this addition to the Restylane filler line in January 2015 specifically for lip enhancement.
At Laser & Mohs Dermatology of New York, we use Restylane® Silk to add natural definition and symmetry to the lips, and to fill vertical lines. Prior to a lip injection treatment, a consultation will be held with one of our our board-certified dermatologists to provide a personalized treatment plan.
Learn more about Restylane Silk with Dr. Quintana’s Q&A
What is Restylane® Silk?
All of the Restylane fillers are hyaluronic acid fillers. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that occurs naturally in the human body. Its job is to plump and hydrate the skin. It can do this because hyaluronic acid can hold 1000 times its weight in water. The difference with Restylane® Silk is that its hyaluronic acid particles are much smaller than those found in other fillers, making it able to plump the lips without overdoing it. This creates natural-looking enhancement.
Restylane® Silk Treatment Areas
- Cupid’s bow — We add definition to this area in the middle of the upper lip, which looks the most attractive when it is well defined and when the two sides are equal.
- Side-to-side symmetry — We make both sides of the lips equal for patients bothered by uneven lips.
- Fullness in the center — Beautiful lips are more full in the center, with that fullness tapering off at the corners.
- Profile projection — When someone is seeing your lips from the side, the upper lip should project slightly beyond the lower lip.
Benefits Of Restylane® Silk
The lips, like the rest of the body, show signs of aging. Volume loss due to decreased collagen production makes your lips thin with the passing years. Shrinking lips also show more vertical lines. Other people, regardless of their age, don’t like the asymmetry of their lips and want to even them out. Fortunately, Restylane® Silk can help correct these issues.
What Is The Best Use For Restylane® Silk?
At Laser & Mohs Dermatology in New York, we use Restylane® Silk in two ways: to enhance the lips, increasing definition and creating symmetry; and to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles on the lips and the areas surrounding the mouth. These vertical lines are sometimes called “barcode lines.” Silk is excellent at softly plumping the lips and filling out these lines. Plus, it does so without overly plumping the lips.
Restylane® Silk Lip Injections
What’s The Difference Between Restylane® Silk and Juvederm Volbella?
After Restylane® Silk was introduced in January 2015, Allergan added
Volbella to the Juvederm hyaluronic filler line in October 2016. Both fillers are very similar, producing subtle plumping of the lips, adding definition, and filling vertical lines. Volbella results last up to a year, and there is some thought that Volbella creates less initial swelling than Silk. All in all, however, these two fillers targeted specifically for the lips are very similar and provide excellent results.
How Long Do Restylane® Silk Results Last?
Galderma, the maker of Restylane® Silk, has numerous studies on the results it provides. Their studies show that 98 percent of patients using Silk noticed significant improvement in the fullness of their lips and surrounding wrinkles 14 days after their injections. After six months, 76 percent said they still saw noticeably more fullness in their lips. Although the duration of your results can depend on your individual metabolism, generally Restylane® Silk can be expected to plump your lips and fill vertical lines for around six months.
What To Expect After Restylane® Silk Injections
Do Restylane® Silk Injections Hurt?
Restylane® Silk contains lidocaine, so there is little discomfort during your injections.
