Is Restylane the new Botox?

From NewsDay.Com
March 20, 2006

If you're a slave to Hollywood gossip, than you've certainly heard of Botox. But you may not have heard about Restylane.

Used in more than 3 million treatments in more than 70 countries, Restylane is now approved in the United States to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds.

"Restylane contains hyaluronic acid, which is a substance found naturally in the body," says Manhattan-based plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Kane. "So when used, you are putting something in your skin that is already in the skin."

After a fine needle is used for the injection, the natural enhancement is instantaneous. In a double-blind clinical trial, Restylane showed a significant difference in the skin compared with bovine collagen.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, Restylane lasts for about six months. The frequency of the injections depends on the area being treated. If a place such as the lips, which moves often, is being worked on, a person needs to receive the injections more often -- about every five months -- than if the forehead were being done.

When it is injected into the skin, the procedure is customized and geared toward the client's needs, so the cost of treatment varies.

As with most injections, Restylane's most common side effects are temporary redness and swelling at the site of the injection.