Our Editor Tried the Newest Fillers—Here’s What Happened

Both Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne were approved by the FDA in late 2016 and can now be found in doctors’ offices. Restylane Refyne was approved for the treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds, and Restylane Defyne for the treatment of moderate to severe deep-facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds. Both last for up to 12 months^[1,2]. Unlike other fillers, Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne incorporate a special XpresHAn Technology™, which gives the hyaluronic acid filler flexibility^[3] and movement^[4]. In other words, the product is able to move within the face as natural expressions^[4] are made to prevent a fake, injected or stiff look. 

The ability to fill lines and wrinkles while keeping the overall look natural made this a particularly attractive option for professional women such as NewBeauty editor-at-large, Sarah Eggenberger. As someone who is frequently in front of the camera, Eggenberger wanted a filler that could help her look her best, but without venturing into “unnatural” territory. We sent her to New York dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD, to try the treatment firsthand and report back.

“I wanted to get the filler because I was really noticing that the pesky lines around my mouth were starting to be etched into my skin and did not go away when I stopped smiling or talking,” says Eggenberger. “The bigger concern was that these lines started to give the impression that my face was pulling downward, which really felt aging to me.”

“When I went in for the treatment, Dr. Engelman numbed the area before, so I felt no pain or sensitivity. After the treatment, ice packs were placed on the injected area to minimize the potential of swelling^[1,2]. I was out in public that night and you wouldn’t have known I had any treatment done. I had no downtime or complications.” 

The most commonly observed side effects are swelling, redness, pain, bruising, headache, tenderness, lump formation, and itching at the injection site. 

“I was most surprised at how natural my results looked. I still have light lines, which I should have, but it just softened the texture around my mouth. Typically my husband can tell as soon as I have tried something, and this time he could not, which is a testament to how well it blends into your skin with amazing results of softening fine lines without the ‘made-up’ look.” 

“Sarah is a beautifully expressive lady,” says Dr. Engelman. “Not only does she do a lot of work on camera, but she’s also a mother who communicates in an animated fashion with her children. That said, she had age and expression-related volume loss and accentuation of her smile lines. Because she is in the public eye and is always talking on camera, it was imperative to choose a filler that allowed for flexible technology^[3] to move with Sarah while she is presenting. Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne are so wonderful for the nasolabial folds because they allow for optimal volume restoration, while giving a smooth, flexible aesthetic that is unnoticeable, regardless of facial expression.”

^[1] Restylane Refyne. Instructions for Use. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2016. 

^[2]Restylane Defyne. Instructions for Use. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2016.

^[3]  Data on file. MA-32418 Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2016.

^[4] Data on file. 05DF1502 Clinical Study Report. Fort Worth, TX: Galderma Laboratories, L.P., 2016.