Is use of cannula recommended for Restylane or Restylane Lyft for cheeks? Which product is better for use on cheeks?

Restylane Lyft and Restylane Contour both work great on the cheeks. Using a cannula is provider dependent. Best of luck, Dr. Nima!

Thank you for sharing you questions. The exact technique of using a needle or cannula does not matter as much as choosing an experienced injector who achieves great results. The one location where I find a needle is best to place fillers is the tear troughs (under the eyes). The needle gets the product exactly where it needs to go. Seek the advice of an experienced oculoplastic surgeon for this procedure. There is no single product that works best for all patients. It should be individualized based on the needs of each person. After consultation with an expert injector, you should better understand what your particular needs are. Good luck!

Thank you for your question. A cannula is used in some treatment areas because it can reduce bruising from the injections. However, many providers use a needle in the cheeks because the filler needs to be placed much deeper - to the bone in most cases. The needle can make it easier to place the dermal filler in the right location. 
The method used depends on the provider. It is more important to choose your provider based on their board certification and level of experience, rather than the technique used. An experienced doctor will be able to produce very good results with minimal risk using a needle or a micro-cannula. 

I do recommend the use of a cannula in the cheek and train all my providers to more safely and accurately correct the cheeks with a cannula. Cannular delivery of dermal fillers is safer, less traumatic and leads to a more desirable result with less down time, in the right hands. As to which product to use in the cheeks; I recommend Lyft because it has a higher G prime and can generate more projection and correction than Restylane classic but again, every case should be carefully assessed by a well-trained provider.  

Facial sculpting and contouring can be created with well-placed fillers (Voluma, Radiesse, Bellafill) and Sculptra, which would give improvement in facial balance. Fat or implants are alternatives. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a facial sculpting expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Hi BB2.  We prefer Restylane Lyft for the cheeks because it is a thicker product that creates a sturdier foundation for the cheek and it also lasts longer than Restylane. We also like Radiesse for the cheeks.  As for the cannula, we prefer a needle but this is a personal choice for your injector and either tool can be used to get great results.  

Lyft and Restylane are both fantastic high G prime fillers. In my opinion both are far superior to the runny fillers like Belotero and Juvederms. Of the two, Restylane is much more versatile because it can reliably used in the under eye and lip areas. Both can be used in the cheeks. While Lyft holds up longer than Restylane, the advantage is minimal. In the cheek and chin, either filler can be used interchangeably. 

Injectable fillers come in several types depending on the area to be filled.  For the cheeks, a thicker, hardier filler is generally used.  Examples include Restylane Lyft, Voluma, or Radiesse.  In my mind, these are pretty much interchangeable and last about the same amount of time.  It just depends on doctor preference.  There is a newer filler called Renuva which works by stimulating fat cells in your own tissue to grow.  I have been seeing some very nice results with this one in the cheek area.  I don't think regular Restylane works as well in the cheek area.  As for needles versus cannulas, I tend to use needles when injecting into the cheeks except for Renuva.  That one requires a cannula for insertion.

I will say that needle versus cannula technique will vary injector to injector, practice to practice. You will find some that use a combination approach and others that will stick with 1 type of technique. The most important thing is for you to find is an experienced injector! I personally use 25G cannula for the cheek area. My product of choice is Restylane Lyft due to its high G prime (lifting ability) which is what you want in this area. Hope this helps!

The easy answer to this question is that the most important choice is finding an expert injector that has experience with a wide variety of filler products & understands which products are best for varying areas. Furthermore- the product that might be best for one persons cheeks may be different for someone else depending on skin laxity, thickness etc. All of this should be discussed and determined with a thorough consultation to understand the realistic expectations and results.