What is Radiesse?

Radiesse (formerly referred to as Radiance) is the latest injectable substance that is newly available for cosmetic purposes to give you fuller lips and fill in wrinkles and lines. Radiesse is made up of microscopic calcium particles (hydroxylapatite) that are found in bone and suspended in gel. This is a safe material (one that is already in use for dental reconstruction, bone growth, and vocal cord injection) and one that has proven to be very compatible with the body. Unlike Collagen it does not require an allergy test, and lasts two to five years!

Don't forget to also learn about our Lip Augmentation!

How long does Radiesse last?

Studies show that Radiesse can last up to three years.

What are the side effects of Radiesse?

Normal side effects are swelling for the first 2 days. Since calcium hydroxylapatite is a normal component of bone (a substance already familiar to the body) and does not contain any animal products there is no allergy test required before treatment. In rare cases a patient may experience tiny calcium deposits that may rise to the surface of the skin and appear like small white bumps. If this occurs the deposits can easily be excised and removed. The longest term studies with this product have been done in Italy. Test results from Italy suggest that Radiesse shows promise as a new agent for facial contouring with no serious side effects and reasonable efficacy and durability.

Is Radiesse FDA approved?

Radiesse implants have been FDA approved and have been in use for many years in dental, facial, and orthopedic surgery and for vocal cord augmentation. Radiesse is still in the process of becoming approved for cosmetic use, and similar to BOTOX® Cosmetic it is currently being used by doctors off-label until the FDA approval comes (expected sometime 2003).

How does Radiesse compare to Collagen or other products?

The advantage of using Radiesse is the potential for long lasting effect. Radiesse will last approximately 3 to 7 years (about 10-15 times longer than collagen). Radiesse contains no animal products and therefore requires no allergy test prior to treatments. One cc of Radiesse can treat about twice as many areas as 1cc of traditional collagen. Radiesse is also often more natural appearing and feeling. Radiesse requires fewer injections per area but the Doctor will need to do dental blocks to numb the area, as the injections are more painful than Collagen.

Where can Radiesse be used?

FDA Approved as a Tissue Marker and for Vocal Fold applications. Additional recent approval in Cranio-Facial procedures. Radiesse can be used to improve fullness of the lips or improve wrinkles in areas like the smile lines (or nasolabial folds). It is usually used to improve lines and wrinkles on areas in the lower half of the face.

What can I expect during recovery?

• Rest is suggested the first day. Do not plan to return to work or attend social functions until the day after your injection.
• You will only have mild swelling for approximately three days following the injection.
• A small amount of bruising may occur. You may cover with makeup or lipstick.
• Avoid aspirin-type medications and Vitamin E for several days before and after the procedure to lessen possibility and severity of bruising.

Does the injection hurt?

• Local anesthetic (lidocaine) or a numbing cream can be first applied to the area to be treated.
• The filler injection is given after the area is numb. You may experience only minimal discomfort.
• Most patients state that post-procedure pain is insignificant and easily relieved by Tylenol.