TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME, WITH RESTYLANE LYFT

As we get older, our bodies begin to lose collagen – that’s the substance that keeps skin elastic and firm. This is especially true for your face and the backs of your hands, where wrinkled, saggy skin can create a skeletal appearance. It can leave you looking and feeling older than you really are.

To fix the problem, we often turn to dermal fillers. This injectable treatment is an incredibly popular tool for restoring some of your youthful glow. To resolve issues on the back of your hands, fillers are injected just beneath the surface of your skin to restore volume, decrease wrinkles, and wash away the appearance of fine lines.

One of the best hyaluronic acid-infused treatment options for hand volume loss is the Restylane Lyft hand rejuvenation procedure. This particular Restylane product is the only filler that has been FDA-approved for use in both the face and the hands.

HYALURONIC ACID & COLLAGEN

Let’s start with a better understanding of hyaluronic acid. Believe it or not, it’s far from the scary chemical its name makes it sound like. Instead, it’s a substance your skin produces naturally. Hyaluronic acid is responsible for keeping your skin hydrated so that it stays smooth. That’s important because dehydration speeds aging. As you age, and as you are exposed to environmental toxins, your skin’s production of hyaluronic acid starts to slow down.

Hyaluronic acid can now be found in both topical and injectable products. When applied topically, it absorbs into your skin and then attracts water, binding to it and creating plump, smooth, hydrated skin. Hydrating slightly wrinkled skin plumps it in a way that almost eliminates the appearances of those pesky fine lines.

Collagen, on the other hand, is a natural component found in human skin (and the skin of many animals, too!) It is responsible for your overall structure and elasticity, including fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging. Too little collagen results in skin that appears dull and saggy as it sinks in around your bone structure. This is especially noticeable on the hands because hands have many fine bones and tendons.

So how are the two related? Think of hyaluronic acid as the water for the plant that is your collagen. When the hyaluronic acid is injected into your skin, the water it binds to is now able to surround and hydrate the skin cells that are responsible for producing collagen. As a result, dermal filler use can stimulate some of your body’s natural collagen-producing abilities, giving you longer lasting results.

RESTYLANE LYFT FACIAL FILLER

While there are a lot of dermal filler options for the face available (including others in the Restylane family), Lyft continues to be a favorite. You may have previously heard of this product under its old name, Perlane, but the two are not the same. Lyft is a reformulated version with a higher hyaluronic acid concentration.

Other Restylane variations may work better for facial fine lines and wrinkles, whereas Lyft is specifically for tough-to-treat areas. Its gel base is firmer, making it more appropriate for deeper folds and more pronounced wrinkles.

The way we apply Restylane Lyft is also different. Instead of being injected into the surface of the skin, providers inject it further down into the dermal tissue. This restores volume and natural contour.

Restylane Lyft is often used alone, but it can also be combined with different fillers for a more defined effect. For example, you may have Restylane Lyft injected into the deeper layers of your skin for the deeper folds and then inject Radiesse or another filler to address some of the finer lines and wrinkles at the surface layer of your skin.

RESTYLANE LYFT HAND REJUVENATION

Restylane Lyft is the first and only dermal filler approved for use in the hands. Like your face, your hands are an important part of your first impression. If you don’t feel confident in the appearance of either, it may affect how you interact.

Loss of volume in the hands is related to aging, but doesn’t have the exact same causes. Instead of collagen diminishing, the hands actually lose some of their fat layers. Fat loss combined with age-related muscle atrophy can make your bones, tendons, and veins look very prominent.

Injecting Restylane Lyft beneath the surface of the skin can instantly plump the appearance of your hands. The filler stays beneath the skin, and is never injected into the muscles or tendons. Results are almost instantaneous.

PERKS OF RESTYLANE PRODUCTS

It’s important to note that Restylane does not manufacture their products with any animal proteins or byproducts. This makes risks like allergies or concerns about avoiding anything that isn’t vegan less of a problem.

Restylane Lyft is also long-lasting. The length of time your results will last may vary, but most people find they last at least six months. As a result of increased collagen production, those who have regular injections may find they need less product over time, or that they can go a little longer between injections thanks to natural side effects.

PREPARATION FOR RESTYLANE INJECTIONS

Preparation for Restylane Lyft injections is similar to that of most other dermal fillers.

Before your injections you should:

• Avoid aspirin, fish oils, and other blood-thinning products. Talk to your injector and doctor before stopping any prescribed blood thinners.
• Ask your injector whether or not you should apply an Arnica or Vitamin K based product before your appointment to minimize bruising.
• Drink plenty of water and eat a good meal the day of your appointment so you are not hungry or uncomfortable if your appointment starts late or runs long.
• Adjust your calendar so you have time to relax after your treatment.
• Clean your skin and go to your appointment without lotions or makeup on.

AFTERCARE ADVICE

Most patients don’t experience many side effects from Restylane Lyft. The most common problems are a little bit of discomfort, minor swelling, minor bruising, and redness. These discomforts can be minimized with proper post-appointment care.

After your Restylane Lyft injections, you should:

• Avoid exercise for the first couple of days.
• Avoid touching or massaging your face or hands.
• Take an oral Arnica supplement to reduce bruising, if recommended by your injector.
• Ice the area, as instructed by your injector.
• Avoid sleeping on your face or rolling onto your hands for the first 24 to 48 hours.
• Stay hydrated. The better hydrated you are, the longer your Restylane Lyft effects will last.

Are you a filler first-timer? Ask for a consultation appointment so your intended injector can assess your needs and make recommendations for correction. Never let anyone make you feel rushed to have a same-day procedure.

Ask to see before and after photos of actual patients, find out how long your injector has been working with the product, and make sure you feel completely comfortable with the recommendations made before moving forward. Deciding to use fillers is big, but we’re confident that once you feel comfortable you’ll be pleased with the end results.

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT RESTYLANE LYFT

What is Restylane Lyft?

Restylane Lyft is approved by the FDA to correct volume deficit in the back of the hands, for cheek augmentation and the correction of age-related midface contour deficiencies, as well as the treatment of moderate to severe facial folds, such as the nasolabial folds (smile lines). Lyft is the first and only hyaluronic filler approved by the FDA to treat face and hands.

What are dermal fillers? What is hyaluronic acid?

Dermal fillers are facial injection treatments used to help diminish wrinkles while restoring volume and fullness in the face and hands. There are several types of dermal fillers, one being hyaluronic acid. All Restylane products are transparent hyaluronic acids, which are sugars naturally found in the skin that help provide hydration, fullness and elasticity.

What causes wrinkles?

Wrinkles are part of life — our skin changes as we age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. Facial aging actually begins in your 20s, when skin firmness begins to decrease as a result of both internal (genetics and natural aging) and external (sun exposure, smoking, stress, etc) factors.

What causes the appearance of aging in hands?

As part of the natural aging process, volume in the hands can deteriorate over time, making them appear aged. Veins, tendons and bones may become more visible.

How long does it take Restylane treatments to work?

Depending on your volume needs, most Restylane treatment appointments last less than an hour and begin to work almost immediately by adding volume to smooth away wrinkles. A clear gel formulation of hyaluronic acid, Restylane products act like your body’s own hyaluronic acid (and eventually break down naturally). Each Restylane product is designed for a specific purpose.