Restylane FAQs

Restylane Lyft is a firm hyaluronic acid filler from Galderma, formerly called Perlane. It is FDA-approved for cheek augmentation and midface volume loss, nasolabial folds and other facial wrinkles, volume loss in the back of the hands, and, as of November 2025, chin augmentation. It lasts about 12-18 months.

Lyft's larger gel particles make it stiffer than standard Restylane, which is exactly what gives it lifting capacity when placed deep, on bone, in the cheek or chin. That same firmness makes it a poor choice for delicate work: it is not appropriate for the tear trough or fine lip detailing, where it can look lumpy, ridged, or cause a bluish Tyndall effect. It is available with lidocaine for comfort. Like all HA fillers, it is reversible with hyaluronidase within 24-48 hours, unlike Radiesse or Sculptra. Typical US pricing is roughly $650-$1,000 per 1 mL syringe and varies by market; cheek treatment commonly uses about one syringe per side. Longevity is shorter in very mobile areas and in people with faster metabolisms.

After Restylane: ice on and off for the first few hours, sleep on your back with your head elevated for two nights, and avoid alcohol, exercise and heat for 24 to 48 hours. Skip makeup for 12 to 24 hours, facial massage for a week, and lasers or peels for 2 to 4 weeks.

Aftercare is the same across the Restylane range (Kysse, Silk, Lyft, Defyne, Refyne, Contour, Eyelight) because they are all hyaluronic acid. Lips are the exception in degree: skip straws, kissing and lip products for 24 hours, and expect worse swelling than anywhere else. Take Tylenol rather than ibuprofen for soreness, since NSAIDs worsen bruising. Arnica gel and cold compresses help bruises resolve. Avoid dental work for 2 to 4 weeks, since pressure and injections near fresh filler can displace it. Swelling peaks at 24 to 48 hours; the settled result appears at 2 to 4 weeks, which is when to judge it. Call immediately for blanching, mottled skin or worsening pain.

Restylane is usually mildly uncomfortable rather than painful, since most products contain lidocaine and numbing cream is applied first. Lips are the most sensitive area; cheeks, chin and jawline feel more like pressure. Most people describe brief stinging at each injection point.

Restylane's classic NASHA gels (original Restylane and Restylane Lyft) are firmer and more granular than Juvederm's smooth gels, and some patients notice a slightly grittier sensation on injection, though it rarely translates into more pain. Kysse, Defyne, Refyne and Contour use XpresHAn technology and feel smoother. What actually determines discomfort is the site and the technique: a blunt cannula through one entry point hurts less and bruises less than repeated needle passes. Aching and tenderness for one to three days afterwards is normal. Pain that increases after 24 hours, especially with pale or mottled skin, is not normal: that is a possible vascular occlusion and needs an immediate call.

Restylane lasts 6 to 18 months depending on the product and where it is placed. Restylane Kysse in lips lasts 6 to 10 months and Silk 6 to 9. Lyft, Contour and Defyne in cheeks, chin or jaw last 12 to 18 months. Eyelight under the eyes lasts 9 to 12 months.

How much the treated area moves is the strongest predictor of duration, which is why lips fade fastest and structural areas on bone last longest. Firmer NASHA gels such as Restylane and Lyft generally outlast the softer, more flexible XpresHAn products. Your metabolism, exercise habits, smoking and the volume injected all shift the range. Results fade gradually rather than dropping off, so many people book maintenance before the effect is fully gone, often using less product than the first time. All Restylane products are hyaluronic acid and can be dissolved with hyaluronidase within 24 to 48 hours if you want the result reversed early.

The most common Restylane side effects are injection-site swelling, bruising, redness, tenderness, itching, and temporary lumpiness: usually mild and gone within 1 to 2 weeks. Less common are prolonged swelling, persistent nodules, infection, and the Tyndall effect. The rare emergency is vascular occlusion: blanching, severe pain, or mottled skin.

Swelling peaks at 24 to 72 hours, mostly resolves by day 5 to 7, and the final result appears at 2 to 4 weeks; lips swell the most. Bruising can take up to 10 days to fade. Small lumps in the first two weeks are usually normal settling (do not massage aggressively), but a firm nodule that persists past 4 weeks should be seen, and it can be dissolved with hyaluronidase. The Tyndall effect is a bluish-grey tinge from HA placed too superficially, most often under the eyes, and is also reversible. Delayed inflammatory nodules can appear months later, sometimes after illness or vaccination. Call immediately for skin blanching, escalating or disproportionate pain, blotchy mottling, or any vision change.

Restylane typically costs $600 to $950 per syringe in the US in 2026, with $700 to $800 the most common range. One syringe equals 1 mL. Thicker products in the line (Lyft, Defyne, Contour) usually sit at the top of that range, and most treatment areas need 1 to 2 syringes.

Filler is priced per syringe, not per area, so your total is simply the number of syringes used multiplied by the price. Lips usually take one syringe; cheeks commonly take one per side, putting a full midface treatment in the $1,400 to $1,900 range. Price varies sharply by market: major coastal metros and physician injectors charge more than suburban med spas. Treat unusually cheap pricing as a warning rather than a bargain: it often signals counterfeit or diluted product, or an under-trained injector. Ask to see the sealed syringe opened in front of you. Insurance does not cover cosmetic filler, and because results last 6 to 18 months, this is a recurring cost rather than a one-time one.

Restylane is worth it for the same reasons any hyaluronic acid filler is: immediate results, 6 to 24 months of duration, and full reversibility with hyaluronidase. Expect $550 to $900 per syringe. Which Restylane product you get matters far more than choosing the brand itself.

The line covers nearly every indication: Kysse and Silk for lips, Lyft for cheeks and hands, Contour for cheeks and temples, Defyne and Refyne for nasolabial folds, Defyne and Lyft for the chin, and Eyelight for under-eye hollows. Compared with Juvederm, Restylane products are often described as firmer and less water-attracting, which is why many injectors prefer them under the eyes, where excess water binding causes persistent puffiness. Whether it is worth the money comes down to the injector: the same syringe produces an excellent or a poor result depending on placement, depth and volume restraint. Cheap filler is a false economy, because correcting a bad result costs more than the saving.