Dear Dr. Rivkin,

I have seen you televised on many reputable shows, and have also followed your threads on this website. Therefore, I have decided to pose this question to you instead of other doctors. (Thank you for all your great and candid posts!)

If I am considering an injectable for hollowing of the eye area, such as Restylane or Juvederm, is it reasonable for me to ask a doctor or nurse (injector) to first inject me in an unnoticeable area (such as my hand) to guage my body’s reaction to the material?

Because I have had eczema in the past, with much itching, I am concerned that I may have an allergic reaction to injectables. (Bumps are also a concern, as I have thin skin) I am thinking that this type of request would seem normal to doctors, but I have never read about anyone asking for a “test injection.”

hi emii,
you can certainly ask for a test injection and i’m sure any reputable doc or injector will do it. be sure to go to someone who has a bunch of experience with the procedure, preferably that you can see with before and after pictures. i have never seen any allergic reactions to restylane or juvederm, even with eczema patients, and i’ve probably done about 1000 eye patients.
also, the person you go to must have be comfortable working with hyaluronidase – the enzyme that dissolves the restylane or juvederm just in case you get a bump or a bit of over injection (it happens to the best injectors)
hope that helps