Ava Shamban, MD, Owner of Ava M.D. and Skin Five, explains how Restylane works and the benefits.
Interview conducted by Ivanhoe Broadcast News in October 2018.
Tell us a little bit about Restylane, how does it work?
Dr. Shamban: Restylane is in the category of high Hyaluronic acids, which are a complex sugar found in the skin.
And how does it plump up the skin?
Dr. Shamban: Restylane attracts water, and it also has been shown to stimulate collegian formation. So you not only get an instant plumping, but over time you get a delayed effect.
So it lasts for how long?
Dr. Shamban: It depends on the area where Restylane is being used. Restylane Lyft is actually approved in three areas. The mid-face right here for the cheek bones, also in the smile lines and now in the hands.
And the hands are fairly new just a couple of months ago.
Dr. Shamban: The hands Restylane Lyft approval is just a few months ago.
Tell me a little bit about you all were talking about numbers before, what the clinical trial found.
Dr. Shamban: The clinical trial was in, approximately, ninety patients. They were followed for six months; they received their first treatment, and their second treatment was done at four weeks with the effects persisting for six months at least.
So it was good enough to get FDA approval.
Dr. Shamban: Exactly.
Tell us a little bit about how you do it, where do you go in, how long does it take?
Dr: Shamban: Okay. So the hands are another area where you can start to see signs of age. There is volume loss, and what happens is all the normal tendons and veins that are there start to pop up, and you get that kind of bony gaunt look. It doesn’t go with the face, and in fact, if you’re a cougar then it is a dead giveaway as to age. It’s really important that when we treat, we want to treat not just the face but also the hands. The way it’s done it’s very simple, and in fact, it’s painless. We don’t even use numbing cream on the hands. There’s two different ways, and one is you just tent up the skin and the skin on the back of the hands is fairly loose, so you tent up the skin away from the veins and the tendons, and you just insert the needle just a little bit putting small little amounts of the Restylane Lyft over the hand. And then with a gentle massage, you spread the product so you have an even sheet of material. What’s interesting is that then it acts almost like a pillow. And so all the veins and the tendons sink deep back where they’re supposed to be, and you don’t see it. It gives, that’s what I’ve got in my hands, gives a very natural look to the hands.
So you said pain free, how about after care?
Dr. Shamban: Following a treatment with the Restylane Lyft in the hands, it doesn’t restrict movement at all. I wouldn’t go to the gym that same day, but its fine. There’s nothing during the clinical trial all of the various motions and hand strength were checked and nothing was affected. What’s nice about it is the first and only Hyaluronic acid product that’s FDA approved for use in the hands.
And the benefit is that it’s natural, what is the benefit over other fillers that are on the market right now?
Dr. Shamban: Well the benefit, what’s different about that, is that with Hyaluronic acid it has the highest safety profile. If there’s any kind of issue, it can be dissolved. Also, we seem to see much less swelling and bruising and lumpiness with this product.
It last about six months and can patients keep coming back?
Dr. Shamban: Yes.
Patients keep coming back every six months forever?
Dr. Shamban: Well, it lasts at least six months. The FDA trial for approval looked at patients for six months. But in my personal practice, Restylane Lyft lasts much longer, at least twelve months. It’s kind of like everything that we do to maintain our appearance we don’t just do it once. Would we brush our teeth once and then figure that that’s going to last us for the rest of our life, no. Would we cut our hair once, no. Would we polish our nails once, no? Everything has to go into a maintenance schedule. And for the hand, it looks to be somewhere between six and twelve months.
And ballpark cost?
Dr. Shamban: I never talk money.
Let me ask you if this is not for anybody who is it not for?
Dr. Shamban: Who is this not for. I don’t think it’s, maybe if you have an underlying bleeding disorder but really we treat people who are on anticoagulants.
Men and women?
Dr. Shamban: Men and women we don’t want to exclude the men.
What haven’t I asked you that you would like us to include in the story?
Dr: Shamban: Restylane Lyft has been approved for use in the face for over fifteen years. Something that’s been shown to have a safe and efficacious profile why wouldn’t we us it in our hands. The way Restylane Lyft works in the hands is twofold. One it picks up water, and you can get a very nice firm but gentle look to the hands, and the second way is it does stimulate collegian production.
So the way it looks when you leave the office is how it’s going to look until you come back?
Dr. Shamban: Yes. The way that your hands look when you leave the office is the way that it will look six months later.
END OF INTERVIEW
This information is intended for additional research purposes only. It is not to be used as a prescription or advice from Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. or any medical professional interviewed. Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc. assumes no responsibility for the depth or accuracy of physician statements. Procedures or medicines apply to different people and medical factors; always consult your physician on medical matters.
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