There’s certainly no shortage of various hyaluronic acid fillers to choose from these days, with plentiful options for each and every area of the face. But the latest one to hit the market, Restylane Contour, touts some unique and noteworthy differences.
It’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cheek augmentation, a procedure having a major moment as of late—cheek filler searches increased by 218% between 2018 and 2020 (this, according to Galderma, the makers of the Restylane family of fillers). On RealSelf, dermal fillers were among the most discussed procedures by consumers and providers in 2020. “Cheeks are the cornerstone of the face, and focusing on natural contour and not just volume loss can result in a dynamic expression that amplifies their natural beauty,” says Dr. Leslie Baumann, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami and a lead investigator in the clinical trial of Restylane Contour. “Hyaluronic acid levels in the skin diminish as we age, causing the face to lose shape while increasing the likelihood that wrinkles and folds will appear.”
Whereas previous fillers can sometimes leave the cheek area looking stiff and imobile, Restylane Contour differs in its use of the brand’s XpressHAn Technology. Already found in the company’s Restylane Kysse and Restylane Defyne fillers—used for the lips and lower face/chin, respectively—this is the first filler option for cheeks to utilize it.
So what is it? In short, it’s Restylane’s proprietary way of manufacturing the filler, resulting in a flexible, smooth gel that better integrates into the skin so that it moves as your face moves. This not only makes for a more natural-looking contour of the cheeks–especially during movement—but may also mean that less filler is ultimately needed. In the FDA study, patients treated with Restylane Contour actually required less total volume to achieve their optimal results compared to a competitive product. These results can also last up to a year; in that same study, 96% of patients were still satisfied with how their cheeks looked a year post-injection.
