“I finally did it!”

I had been obsessing about my upper lip and laugh line for a long time. I looked in my Seattle Magazine for who Seattle thinks is a top rated Dermatologist in the area. I found my doctor in downtown Seattle and set up my apt. What could it hurt, I knew it would dissolve eventually if I didn't like it.

I became extremely anxious at the procedure because of all the prep they did. Numbing cream on the face, numbing cream inside the mouth, 5 nerve blocks inside my mouth. Ice to top it off. WOW! At this point, what the heck could possibly hurt, I could not feel anything.

Dr. Ochs said not all places prepare you like this, that why Restylane gets a bad wrap for hurting. Didn't hurt me! I was about to back out of the actual lip injections and go for just the nasolabial folds when my doctor said "think beauty", "it is worth it".

Dr. Ochs approaches it with the utmost experience and confidence and I trusted her. She is an example of the beauty of this stuff if you know what I mean. Next thing I knew I had 1ml in my folds, upper lip and lower lip. The damage was done and I hoped I'd love it.

The pictures posted are about two hours post injections. Major swelling that lasted only one day in my lips. The next day, they were really bruised, however lipstick hid that perfectly. Week one: they looked amazing and I was hooked. Also, that laugh line wrinkle is completely gone.

Week two: hey, wait a minute, where did my upper lip go, and what are these little bumps in my lip? One month post: bumps are gone, and upper lip still mildly full, but those laugh lines are still gone and I love it.

Bottom line: I'd do it again. Results were based on my being a chicken and begging her to be conservative. Next time I am going to go for it!

Before restylane

After restylane: this is as bad as the swelling got. It only felt like a duck bill for a few hours!