What Is Restylane? About the Premium Dermal Filler

David Fuller

Last Updated On: August 11, 2025

The global demand for non-surgical cosmetic treatments is on the rise, with the dermal filler market recently valued at over $5 billion, and it’s expected to keep growing. These injectable treatments offer an effective way to restore facial volume, smooth out wrinkles, and enhance natural contours, all with minimal downtime.

One of the standout options in this field is Restylane, a premium filler made from hyaluronic acid. Known for its versatility and ability to deliver natural-looking results, Restylane addresses a wide range of concerns, from fine lines to facial shaping. It’s become a go-to choice for many, trusted by both patients and professionals alike.

In this article, we’ll dive into what Restylane is, how it works, its benefits, potential side effects, and what makes it a top choice in the competitive world of dermal fillers.

Key Takeaways

• Restylane is a premium dermal filler made from hyaluronic acid (HA), offering a versatile and natural-looking solution for a variety of aesthetic concerns, from wrinkles to facial shaping.
• NASHA® Technology provides a firmer gel for structural support, ideal for deeper tissue areas like the cheeks, jawline, and chin. At the same time, OBT (Optimal Balance Technology) delivers a softer, more elastic gel for high-movement areas like smile lines.
• The Restylane family includes several specialized products, such as Restylane-L for wrinkle correction, Silk for lip enhancement, Lyft for structural volume restoration, and Refyne/Defyne for dynamic wrinkles.
• Lidocaine is included in most formulations, ensuring greater patient comfort during and after treatment.
• Restylane is FDA-cleared for a variety of treatments, including wrinkle reduction, lip enhancement, cheek and chin augmentation, hand rejuvenation, and tear trough correction.
• Results typically last from 6–12 months, with deeper placements like Restylane Lyft in the cheeks lasting up to 15 months.
• Restylane is generally safe, with minimal downtime and only mild, temporary side effects such as swelling or redness. However, like any injectable treatment, rare complications can occur and require prompt medical attention.
• Proper handling techniques and choosing an experienced provider are essential to achieving safe and effective results.

About: Operating since 2016, Med Supply Solutions is known for being one of the industry’s top and trusted suppliers of cosmetic and viscosupplementation products. If you’re looking to buy Restylane online, contact our sales department for more information.

What Is Restylane: HA Technology and Formulations

Restylane has carved out a prominent place in the aesthetic world, mainly due to its innovative use of hyaluronic acid (HA). It is a naturally occurring sugar molecule in the skin that helps maintain hydration, suppleness, and volume. The proprietary production processes behind Restylane ensure that each of its formulations is designed to provide predictable, long-lasting results, catering to a variety of aesthetic concerns.

• NASHA® Technology: Creates a firmer, more cohesive gel that’s specifically designed for structural support in deeper tissue layers. It’s ideal for areas that require lift and definition, such as the cheeks, jawline, and chin. The consistency of the gel helps it stay in place with minimal migration, ensuring the results last longer and look more natural.
  
• OBT (Optimal Balance Technology): Produces a softer, more elastic gel that’s perfect for areas that experience high movement, like the smile lines or around the mouth. This flexibility allows the filler to adapt seamlessly to facial expressions without creating stiffness, resulting in a more natural appearance.
  
• Diverse Product Range: The Restylane family is as versatile as it is popular, offering a range of specialized formulations. These products can deliver versatile wrinkle correction (Restylane-L), provide subtle volume for lip enhancement (Silk), restore structural volume (Lyft), and target dynamic wrinkles (Refyne/Defyne). Each product is optimized for specific depths, ranging from delicate fine lines to deeper folds.
  
• Lidocaine Integration: Most Restylane products include lidocaine, a local anesthetic, to improve patient comfort during and after the procedure. This addition minimizes discomfort, making the entire experience more pleasant and allowing for precise treatment.

What Is Restylane: Approved Indications & Clinical Applications

Restylane’s FDA-cleared applications extend far beyond just wrinkle filling, making it a crucial tool in modern aesthetic medicine. Its flexibility allows providers to address both age-related volume loss and congenital facial asymmetries (note that congenital asymmetry treatments are off-label in the U.S.) with precision and artistry.

• Wrinkle and Fold Reduction: Targets nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and smile lines with formulations that deliver both structural integrity and natural facial movement. Results are often immediate, with further improvement over time as the filler integrates with the surrounding tissue.
  
• Lip Enhancement: Using Restylane Silk, providers can add soft, subtle volume to the lips while refining shape and smoothing fine vertical lip lines. The lightweight, smooth texture makes it ideal for delicate lip tissue.
  
• Cheek and Chin Augmentation: Variations like Restylane Lyft are designed for the midface, offering the lifting power necessary for enhancing the cheeks, cheekbones, and even chin projection. This formulation helps restore youthful proportions and enhances facial harmony.
  
• Hand Rejuvenation: As we age, the hands can show signs of volume loss, making veins and tendons more prominent. Restylane helps restore fullness to the back of aging hands, providing a smoother, softer appearance.
  
• Tear Trough Correction: Using Restylane injections under eyes can address the hollowness and shadows that often appear under the eyes as we age. This treatment provides a non-surgical solution to brighten the under-eye area, restoring a refreshed and youthful look.

What Is Restylane: Performance and Longevity

One of Restylane’s greatest strengths is its ability to deliver results that are both predictable and long-lasting. Numerous clinical trials and real-world experiences consistently report high patient satisfaction—thanks to a perfect balance of structure, integration, and safety.

• Longevity: Most Restylane treatments maintain visible results for around 6–12 months. However, deeper structural placements, such as Restylane Lyft in the cheeks, can last up to 15 months. This extended performance is due to the firmer gel structure and its strategic placement in areas that are less mobile, ensuring results last longer.
  
• Volume Restoration: Provides immediate volumizing effects, and results continue to improve over several weeks as the gel binds with water and integrates with surrounding tissues, resulting in a natural look and feel.
  
• Minimal Downtime: Most patients can return to their regular routines right after treatment. Any mild swelling or redness typically resolves within a few hours to days, making Restylane the ideal option for those seeking discreet, low-interruption enhancements.
  
• Dynamic Area Performance: Formulations like OBT (Optimal Balance Technology) excel in high-movement zones, such as around the mouth. These gels maintain flexibility and smoothness even during facial expressions, ensuring a natural look without stiffness.

The performance of Restylane is influenced by variables like treatment area, patient metabolism, and product selection. Providers can tailor the treatment to achieve both immediate impact and long-term satisfaction.

What Is Restylane: Safety, Contraindications, Handling

Safety remains a defining element of Restylane’s strong clinical reputation. When administered by trained and qualified injectors, the likelihood of serious complications is low. Most patients experience only mild, temporary side effects such as swelling, redness, tenderness, or bruising at the injection site. These reactions typically resolve within days, making Restylane a well-tolerated choice for facial rejuvenation across a wide range of indications.

Safety remains one of the key reasons why Restylane has such a strong clinical reputation. When administered by trained and qualified injectors, the likelihood of serious complications is low. Reactions like swelling, redness, tenderness, and bruising at the injection site typically resolve within a few days, making Restylane a well-tolerated choice for facial rejuvenation.

While rare, some complications can occur and require prompt medical attention. These include vascular occlusion, which can lead to skin necrosis, and in some cases, changes in vision. Recognizing early warning signs and seeking intervention is critical for maintaining patient safety. Contraindications include: 

• Active skin infections
• Known allergies to hyaluronic acid
• Bleeding disorders
• Pregnancy

Proper handling techniques can significantly reduce the risk of complications. Injectors should use sterile equipment, administer the product slowly, and choose the correct formulation for the intended tissue depth. 

Additionally, Restylane’s reversibility with hyaluronidase provides a safety net for unwanted outcomes. Ultimately, selecting an experienced, certified injector enhances both the safety and aesthetic success of Restylane treatments.

Conclusion

Restylane continues to be a gold-standard dermal filler due to its innovative HA technology, wide range of clinical applications, and reliable safety profile. Whether addressing volume loss, deep wrinkles, or under-eye hollows, it offers customizable solutions for subtle yet impactful rejuvenation. For patients and practitioners seeking a versatile, evidence-backed filler, Restylane remains a trusted and proven choice in modern aesthetics.

FAQs

1. How long do Restylane results last?

Typically 6–12 months, with some deeper treatments lasting up to 15 months.

2. Is Restylane safe for under-eye treatments?

Yes, when performed by a skilled injector familiar with periorbital anatomy, Restylane is effective and safe for tear trough correction.

3. Does Restylane require downtime?

Most patients resume daily activities right away, with only mild swelling or bruising for a few days.

4. Can Restylane be dissolved?

Yes. Hyaluronidase can safely break down Restylane if adjustments or reversal are needed.

References

Grand View Research. Dermal Fillers Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Hyaluronic Acid, Calcium Hydroxylapatite), By Application (Facial Line Correction, Face Lift), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 – 2030. Published 2024. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dermal-fillers-market-report

Research and Markets. Global Dermal Filler Market Size, Share and Trends Analysis Report by Material, Application, End-user, and Region – Forecast to 2029. Published 2023. https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5767173/global-dermal-filler-market-size-share-and-trends