Filler Time!

Kathryn Retzer

For the past three years, the one accessory the ladies who lunch had to have wasn't something that they'd publicly boast about. Nor was it legal (save for a few trial participants)—until this past December, that is. Since the FDA approved it, Restylane, a next-generation collagen alternative, has gone from hush-hush beauty secret for those in the know to the leading alternative to collagen. It's easy to see why: It's a safe, natural cosmetic dermal filler that's less likely than collagen to cause allergic reactions (it's made from non-animal-based hyaluronic acid). But the best part is that Restylane lasts at least twice as long as collagen. (For the uninitiated, remember the general rule: Botox above the nose, Restylane below.) Not surprisingly, our local celebrity dermatologist, the good Dr. Seth Matarasso, has been quick on the Restylane draw and is already going through at least 100 tubes a month. "There's a phrase I read in the New York Times about a year ago: ‘Restylane is not only on everyone's lips, it's in everyone's lips.' Don't you just love that?" says Matarasso. For $500 to $1,000 a pop, wrinkles are banished and lips are plumped—for a while, anyway—but buyer beware: It hurts! As the saying goes, though, no pain, no gain.