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How Painful Are Restylane Injections?
asked 2 years ago by Pascal in California
Latest answer by Leyda Elizabeth Bowes, MD
Question viewed 11,996 times
Tags: lips, dental block, pain
I'm a big baby I don't like pain, I've wanted lips for a year now and I'm finally going to face my fears and get over it. My mom has Restylane done to her lips and she said it hurt very badly. She did have a dental block, but it still hurt. I have asked myself over and over. Am I willing to go under that bit of pain to look better? I've had a nose job, the only pain I had was when the dr was removing my cast, I cried, but I got over it.
27 answers to How Painful Are Restylane Injections?
+4
Restylane doesn't have to hurt!
Everyone has a different pain tolerance. Some of my patients only want ice before injections and some require intravenous sedation. It is all about what works for you. You can find a plastic surgeon or dermatologist that will design a treatment plan that you are comfortable with. You don't have to suffer to have Restylane or any other treatment. If your doctor doesn't offer the options you desire, look around. You can find someone who does.
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+3
Ask for nerve blocks before Restylane to the lips.
This does not have to be any more painful than two tiny needle pricks (1 per side) to anesthetize the infra-orbital nerves, and two needle pokes to numb the mental nerves, These can also be done via intraoral approaches after first numbing the mucosa with topical anesthetic like the dentist uses, making the injections virtually pain-free. Then your injector can enlarge your lips as desired.
If you like the look of Restylane-enlarged lips, you may want to consider dermal fat graft...
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+2
Are Lip Injections Painful?
Hi Pascal. Generally lips are one of the more sensitive injection areas of the face. Normally, dental blocks, triple numbing cream and/or ice packs will allow you to get through the procedures.
Everyone's pain tolerance is different so what might be excruciating for you, is a piece of cake for someone else. Good luck.
+2
Facial filler injections don't have to be painful
A single numbing pinprick on each side can make facial filling injections almost free of sensation. At most your upper lip might feel (not look) huge for a half hour.
Christopher J. Peers, MD
South Bend Facial Plastic Surgeon
South Bend Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2
Restylane in the lips does not have to hurt
An appropriately placed dental block (one plced in the gum area, just as you would would receive from the dentist when having a cavity filled) will allow you to receive Restylane pain free. Topical numbing medication can also be placed on the lips for added insurance.
David A. Robinson, MD
Munster Plastic Surgeon
Munster Plastic Surgeon
+2
Restylane Injections in the Lips...."No Pain, No Gain"?
Hi Pascal,
OUCH! Just kidding.
Restylane or Juvederm lip injections do not need to torture a patient. Two small local anesthetic injections above your lip and two below (nerve blocks) are all you should feel.
Some patients like you opt to have a friend or relative drive them to their treatment so that they can pre-medicate with an anti-anxiety med like Xanax 1 mg about 30 minutes before their injections.
Ice compresses before the injections, and the addition of a tiny amount of local...
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+1
Restylane injections should be very well tolerated in terms of pain.
Restylane injections should be very well tolerated in terms of pain. I always recommend applying a 'triple anesthetic' cream at the office for thirty minutes prior to injection. The filler gel also already contains small amounts of lidocaine in it. This is more than sufficient for a very comfortable Restylane injection session. If doing extensive injections in the lip area, I may also do a nerve block (relatively simple injection) to minimize pain in this area.
+1
Restylane and pain
Injecting fillers isn't pain free, but is usually well tolerated. Restylane now comes mixed with lidociane, which takes less than 1 second to take effect. Also, most dermatologists use a numbing cream before they inject.
Gary Goldenberg, MD
New York Dermatologist
New York Dermatologist
+1
Reducing pain in lip augmentation without nerve blocks
I have found that many patients in my practice are not excited about getting nerve blocks for pain control in lip augmentation. My technique now consists of topical lidocaine around the mouth before injection and then using a small blunt tip, microcannula to inject the entire lip. An entrance to the lip is created in at the oral commissures and the entire lip is able to be enhanced though 2 small needle holes. This has greatly reduced the pain and bruising for my patients.
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Jason D. Bloom, MD
Philadelphia Facial Plastic Surgeon
Philadelphia Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Restylane can be diluted with local aensthesia, and combined with ice and a gentle
Approach the treatment should not be too painful. We use a pre-treatment regimen of topical anesthesia as well, and thus minimize any discomfort our patients might feel. When it comes to treatment of the lips, we find that most people prefer a dental block so that the lips are numb prior to the Restylane injection. I don't understand why your mother had any pain after a dental block, as the lips can be made quite numb. My own belief is that having a well trained...
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Michael H. Rosenberg, MD
White Plains Plastic Surgeon
White Plains Plastic Surgeon
+1
No pain, repeat pt
Restylane or anything injected into your soft, sensitive lips would be excruciating if done without anesthetic. with all due respect to your mom, a dental block done well would make the procedure painless. find someone who knows how to do it and relax. enjoy.
Rafael C. Cabrera, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1
Do lip injections hurt?
Lip injections don't have to hurt. I rarely do any nerve block in my office anymore. I use a BLT cream for about 20 minutes on the lips and ice during the procedure. Practically, the entire procedure becomes painless. After the procedure, some bruising may occur, and these can be tender for a few days. I always recommend Arnica and pineapple for my patients and a lot of icing after the procedure. Dr. Behnam.
Ben Behnam, MD
Santa Monica Dermatologic Surgeon
Santa Monica Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
Restylane, Lips, and Pain!
Hi Pascal,
If you have a nerve block you should have only a very little if any pain at all. The block itself is a little uncomfortable but is generally tolerated well. After that, the procedure should not be difficult to undergo.
I know this is all very easy for me to say, but this has been from my experience as an injector!
Good luck and I hope this helps,
Dr. E
+1
Pain experienced with Restylane injections
You may experience some pain, but should not have significant pain. Topical numbing cream is applied to the area .
Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Restylane pain
With the proper block, the anesthetic can make it a pain free experience, although some patients don’t get the best response from the block and if it is not fully anesthetized you would still have some pain. Most of our patients who have the block feel no pain when the lips are done. The smile creases are more tolerable and so most patients don’t need those blocked but we can numb these as well.
+1
Restylane does not have to hurt
Pascal,
Restylane injections in the lip do not need to hurt. If done properly, nerve blocks around the entire mouth area (usually through small insertions inside the mouth) should make the treatment relatively painless. A topical anesthetic gel can be used inside the mouth as well to help reduce discomfort with the nerve block. Most patients report little to no pain sensation at all when the blocks are done completely and properly.
Good luck
+1
Restylane Injections
Restylane should not hurt as long as a dental block is performed. The worst pain is the dental block which lasts a few seconds and then the upper lip is entirely numb and you do not feel any of the restylane injections. Sometimes the dental blocks need to be repeated, but again once they are working the lips are completely numb and the injections should be pain free.
Good luck!!!
Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1
Restylane does not hurt with good dental blocks.
Hi!
It's all a matter of technique, and knowing the anatomy. If your mom had pain with dental blocks, the blocks were not done properly.
You definitely need blocks, and the blocks themselves hurt for a couple of seconds. But then the doctor can take his time scupturing the Restylane, because you are comfortable.
+1
Restylane injection pain
The pain of filler injections into the lip is usually manageable with nerve blocks (the upper lip is easier to block than the lower) with or without topical anesthetic cream and icing the area immediately prior to injection. The level of pain experienced is also very individual, with some patients appearing not to feel a thing, while others expressing considerable discomfort in spite of the use of nerve blocks.
Good luck.
Bryan K. Chen, MD
San Diego Dermatologist
San Diego Dermatologist
+1
Local anesthesia good idea for lip treatment
Dear Pascal
Lip treatment is uncomfortable. Yes, there are a few stoic soles out there who like to walk on hot coals and stuff like that. That is not the norm. I have a device in my office called the wand. It is a computer driven pump that I use to infiltrate the tissue around the mouth to produce what is called a ring block. This method is somewhat uncomfortable but it is so much better than having Restylane filler in the lip without the benefit of anesthesia. My biggest babies are able to...
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+1
Lip augmentation
Performing lip augmenation using fillers is a very common procedure. Yes, it can be painful. I would say 10% don't take any anesthetic. 80% need a topical anesthetic only and about 10% need a nerve block injection. You should be comfortable during your procedure. Good luck.
+1
Good blocks are the key
A well placed block can make this a pain free experience. Topicals and ice can be added if you have serious concerns. But there are some people that still experience minor to moderate discomfort even with all of these measures.The pain is transient and the results are long lasting. The tradeoff is well worth it.
I hope this was helpful. Good luck
+1
Restylane pain
The truth is Restylane injections hurt so nerve blocks , intraoral, help, significantly. Most of my Restylane patients that we do in the nasolabial fold do not require blocks and just endure the discomfort of the injection. However, injections of the lips can be extremely painful and nerve blocks should be offered. We usually use topical anesthesia before the injection for most of our patients.
+1
Minimal Discomfort with the Proper Nerve Block
If the nerve block is done properly then there should be minimal if any discomfort. We begin by placing a topical anesthetic in the upper portion of the mouth between the lip and gum. We then inject a small amount of xylocaine using a very small needle into this area. The same can be done for both upper and lower lip. This usually makes it a comfortable experience.
S. Randolph Waldman, MD
Lexington Facial Plastic Surgeon
Lexington Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
The pain is going to be less if you have a seasoned professional doing this, but it still hurts!
While I wish I could say that Restylane doesn't hurt, it does in the lips. This is just a tough area. However, if you have a cosmetic surgeon who does this quite a bit and is good at it, your pain will be less.
We don't do blocks any more since we add anesthetic to the filler and use special topical numbing agents that do much better than the standard ones. Having said that, the lips are always going to be a tough area. If they are done right (and that is a big if depending on who you go...
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+1
Pain will filler injections
The lips are very sensitive areas. However, there are effective topical anesthetics and injections (like at the dentist) which can numb the areas to take the sting away.
+1
Love your lips?
The good news about lips is that it doesn't have to be painful, at the time of the procedure, however both HA fillers (Restylane and Juvederm) may swell, after the procedure and cause some discomfort. I offer patients both dental blocks as well as topical anesthetic cream and cooling. I also use a 32 gauge needle. Having a patient who is psychologically prepared for a procedure is also a great help (i.e. knowing how much augmentation you desire and what would suit your face).
Between the...
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Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
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