Not pleased with Restylane results - lips & nasolabial folds, too conservative

3-4 months ago I went to a dermatologist to get my lips and nasolabial folds filled in. The dr didnt tell me about juvederm or radiesse and went with restylane. I'm young and I think she wanted to save me money. I paid $500 for one syringe, $90 consult fee and she threw in a free peel. She also gave me a form to fill out and send in with the hologram to get $10 back although I forgot and didnt send it in on time.

She was very very nice and the experience overall was pleasant. The nurse did both numbing creme and dental block so I barley felt anything, she gave me good instructions of what to and not to do, and sent me home with a benedryl and ice pack. The nurse held my hand during the injections which I thought was nice although it wasnt painful. Within an hour I could go back to class without anyone knowing I did anything, all the swelling went down within 2-3 days. There was minimal bruising that lasted 7-10 days.

The dermo said 1 syringe would be more than enough, I think because I'm young and it was my first time she didnt want to do a drastic change which is understandable. It wasnt enough and I didnt get the results I was hoping for. There was a tiny change, but if I woke up one morning not knowing I got restylane I wouldnt know I had anything done. The result was overall smooth and she seemed to know what she was doing. I had two minor problems - a small amount had migrated just above my lip, but it was completely invisible unless I curl my lip in and tighten the skin so the only thing that bothered me about it is that now theres less in my lips where it should be. Also, my deeper/longer nl fold was overfilled a little bit right below the crease. You cant see this unless I smile wide and even then it's something only I would notice. I went back the next week to show this to her and tell her I think we should do more, she said it will smooth out over the next few weeks (which it did) and that we can do more next time. While it wasnt perfect, I would go back to her again. People sometimes react differently and I think she could fix these minor problems after seeing how it turned out.

I made an appt with a plastic surgeon soon after for rhinoplasty and asked him to do more filler as well instead of waiting for the dermo to do it again. Three months later there was still restylane left although it's hard to say how much since the initial difference was so minor. I found out it typically lasts longer and younger people. The dermo said it should last about 4 months in the lips and 6 months in the nl folds although it carries from person to person. Athough just the one restylane injection I had was not worth it, when I got more it was very worth it and I'm confident it would have been regardless of weather I got juvederm or restylane.

So, the bottom line is, it's a good product if you make sure your the doctor is qualified and experienced. If your not sure or dont want to spend the time looking them up, your best bet would be to go to a plastic surgeon or dermatologist at a hospital as opposed to a private office. This way, you at least know their board certified, your getting real restylane and your not being ripped off since their prices are set.