Aside from neurotoxin injections like Botox Cosmetic, Dysport and Xeomin, which rank as the most popular minimally invasive in-office treatment year after year, hylauronic acid (HA) dermal fillers are also continually in demand and considered one of the most important tools in the arsenals of dermatologists and plastic surgeons around the world. And today, Galderma (makers of Dysport and Restylane, among many other brands) is announcing an exciting new addition to that world that will begin rolling out in doctors’ offices this summer: Meet Restylane Contour.
Approved by the FDA for cheek augmentation and correction of midface contour deficiencies in adults over the age of 21, hyaluronic acid–based Restylane Contour is the first and only product in the United States to use Galderma’s proprietary XpresHAn Technology for the cheeks—XpresHAn allows the gel to move more smoothly and naturally as the face makes dynamic expressions like smiling. Outside of the U.S., it’s known by another name, Restylane Volyme, and has been used since 2010 on more than 1.5 million patients worldwide.
“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 Miami dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD, 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.”
According to a 2020 Yelp Economic Average Report, cheek filler searches have risen in popularity 218 percent from 2018 to 2020, and doctors predict the number to keep rising, especially thanks to the recent “Zoom Boom” as a result of lifestyle changes made during the pandemic.
“In the past, it was all about volume for the cheeks, but consumers today are looking for natural-looking results, such as the dynamic expression provided by XpresHAn Technology,” says Diane Gomez-Thinnes, head of Galderma U.S. “Developed by leading innovators in the hyaluronic acid filler market, Restylane Contour delivers a treatment you can trust. While individual results may vary, 98 percent of Restylane Contour patients were pleased with their result at one year. The dynamic results truly speak for themselves.”
The results Gomez-Thinnes is referring to come from a 48-week, randomized, comparator-controlled, multicenter, pivotal Phase 3 study conducted at 15 centers across the United States on 270 patients. According to the company, the filler was well-tolerated for cheek enhancement during the study using both needle and cannula methods of injection, and the most commonly observed side effects were bruising, redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, and itching at the injection site (though “85 percent of patients did not experience any adverse events”).
