The Two Newest Dermal Fillers with FDA Approval

Just in time for the holidays, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new dermal fillers from Restylane that specifically target an age old cosmetic problem: smile lines, also known as nasolabial folds.

What Are Nasolabial Folds?

The nickname “smile lines” provide a hint. Nasolabial folds are the wrinkles or folds of skin that run from each side of the nose to the corners of the lips. They’re visible on just about everyone as they smile and laugh, but the wrinkles start to stick around permanently over time. As the face loses stores of fat and collagen, one of the results is deeper nasolabial folds that many people wish they didn’t have.

How Do These New Facial Fillers Help?

Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne are similar in nature, but with distinct differences that address the problem of unwanted nasolabial folds and wrinkles. Both are considered “next-generation” dermal fillers thanks to their use of XpresHAn Technology. Pronounced like “expression,” the technology’s name is a nod to the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) for an enhanced appearance. Since XpresHAn Technology, according to maker Galderma, “customizes the degree of HA crosslinking in each product, [the result is] gels with a range of flexibility and support characteristics for different patient needs.”

Restylane Refyne in particular is designed with HA crosslinks that are flexible and provide subtle support for moderate nasolabial folds, while Restylane Defyne is less flexible for even greater support in deep facial folds. Once injected into the nasolabial folds, the Restylane products fill and lift the wrinkled skin to achieve a smoother nasolabial area. Both injections have been shown to remain effective for laugh lines for up to 12 months.

With nearly seven years of successful use in Europe under the name Emervel, Restylane Refyne and Defyne have been used already in more than one million treatments worldwide. Thanks to this new FDA approval, Americans will now be able to take advantage of this treatment as well for younger, smoother-looking skin.