Can Restylane Be Manipulated After Injection?

Question

After having Restylane injected into my lips last week, the swelling has gone down, but I don't like the precise placement of the line in my upper lip. My injector manipulates the filler after injection, so I have been pinching my lip to move it more to the middle of the lip. Will this work? How long after injection is the product still able to be manipulated?

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

Please do not massage the area. Massage should be performed by your injector, so it's best if you see your injector for a followup if the lumps don't resolve themselves in a week or so.

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

Rather than do the massage/manipulation yourself, I would return to your provider to have them do this for you. It's definitely not uncommon to massage/manipulate, but I always recommend the patient return for better results.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

I never want my patients to manipulate the filler themselves. Generally it is difficult to do this manipulation and get things right. It is best to accurately place the Restylane in the first place. Precise placement of a tiny bead of Restylane along the vermillion edge is critical. This avoids the white roll and the red roll from looking like they are part of the same hot dog. The Restylane can also be shaped with the enzyme hyaluronidase. Your injector may not be sufficiently advanced to help you. Consider see Dr. Julie Woodward at Duke to have this issue corrected.

Ronald Moser, MD · Answer

Most of the time, Restylane can easily be smoothed by gentle manipulation , but it is best done by the provider to ensure that it does not track elsewhere or cause undue inflammation

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes, restylane can be manipulated after treatment.  If you do not like the position, alert the injector.  Do not attempt to correct on your own.

Can Restylane Be Manipulated After Injection?

Answers (5)