Restylane Bruises Still Not Healing After a Year

It is unlikely that you have persistent bruising from the restylane almost a year after injection. Although there have been reports of superficially injected product that lasts more than a year.  See your doctor.

Restylane is a very popular and effective hyaluronic acid-base dermal filler. It has been used widely throughout the face for the correction of deep lines and wrinkles. The trickiest area to inject in the face is the area under the eyes, because this area has very thin skin, which can make lumps obvious, and a high concentration of blood vessels, which can create long-term bruising. In our practice, we provide patients with ice packs to use immediately after their injection. If you... more

As the other panel members mentioned, you may be experiencing the Tyndall effect wherein the product placed too superficially creates a bluish hue under the skin. This may be remedied with Hyaluronidase injections to dissolve the product. However, be prepared to also lose any benefits that you may have received from the product as well. Another possibility is that you may have experienced hemosiderin staining as a result of profound bruising to this area. We've seen this on a couple of... more

Dear Mgigi, I have seen bruises at 8 weeks, but not much longer. This includes very extensive surgeries, not just with Restylane. Could you have a bruise this long out? A personal examination would be very helpful. However, even better would be to compare your before and after photos. There are a number of things that can contribute to a darkening in the skin. Sometimes things that were actually present before a treatment are not attended to until after a treatment. In which case, it is... more

You need to be evaluated in person to determine what the bruising appearance really is. If it is in fact a blood vessel, laser treatment or certain creams can help address the "dark circle" appearance. Alternatively, what you may be experiencing is the "tyndall effect." When Restylane is placed somewhat superficially under the skin, the light scattering effects of the material causes it to appear blue under the skin. It is uncommon, but not entirely unheard of for... more

Treating the tear trough with hyaluronic acid such as Restylane or Juverderm is a very tricky procedure. If put too deep, the area may still appear gaunt and hollow. If put too superficial, then the filler might appear blue given the transparent gel consistency of the material. This is what's called the Tyndall effect. The tear troughs are best injected with a more opaque material such as the collagens (Cosmoderm, Evolence, etc). Restylane should be injected underneath the eye muscle to... more