What Is Radiesse?
In looking at the broad scope of cosmetic therapies, this filler belongs to a class of regenerative aesthetics that can potentially change how people age. Options up to this point have largely focused on:
- Cosmetics to camouflage flaws
- Small tweaks – like Botox – to reduce individual signs of aging
- Dramatic surgeries like facelifts
But with this filler, patients can increase their own collagen production to refine skin texture. This means smooth, plump skin well beyond the norm so that patients in their 40s, 50s, and 60s can now look years younger.
In-Depth Information
Injectables known as collagen stimulators do exactly what you might expect: prompt the body to produce more collagen – specifically, Type 1 collagen, which provides structure for hyaluronic acid and elastin. In combination, these three compounds form a tight, interwoven network responsible for skin’s firm and supple texture. But by the time we’re 50 years old, we’ve lost about 50 percent of naturally-occurring collagen as body processes slow.
What Can Radiesse Be Used For?
This treatment has been used for years to replace facial volume. But thanks to ongoing research, we now understand it has capabilities that extend well beyond those of a basic filler. For instance, when diluted and injected into the neck, it can smooth paper-like folds.
Collagen Production
It also boosts collagen production by up to 30 percent in any treatment spot. By providing a strong, renewed support system deep below skin’s surface, it gives collagen a scaffolding, so to speak, upon which to grow. We attribute this to the filler’s composition – microspheres made with minerals that occur naturally within the body.
Additionally, as soon as it’s injected, this filler provides volume that works from beneath the skin to push tissues upward. This instantly helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles and also restores volume to sagging, drooping cheeks.
Still More Benefits
Somewhat surprisingly, this filler increases blood supply to deliver crucial nutrients to skin cells. Among the most important of these nutrients is oxygen, which keeps skin dewy and hydrated. Strong blood flow also removes toxins and impurities to improve skin health and prevent premature aging.
This filler further improves cell turnover. By sweeping away dead cells and bringing new ones to the surface, your skin constantly looks fresh and bright. It also improves the dull tone that often plagues aging skin so that, overall, your complexion stays as smooth and creamy as possible. Finally, cell turnover can reduce the appearance of acne, age spots, and light scars.
What Else Can it Treat?
With the ability to firm skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and add juicy volume, this injectable can be used on:
- Sagging cheeks by restoring contouring, volume, and lift
- Sunken temples by adding volume
- Nose definition and shape (without surgery)
- Jawline shaping and definition
- Sunken jowls by adding volume
- Smile lines that reach from the nose to the mouth (nasolabial folds)
- Lines that extend downward from mouth corners (marionette lines)
- Sagging skin on the sides of the chin (pre-jowl folds)
- Horizontal lines and wrinkles on the chin (chin lines)
- Hand wrinkles and skin deflation
- Defining and shaping the jawline
Strong Candidates
Anyone who has started showing the signs of aging on their face or hands is a candidate for Radiesse. Additionally, patients who wish to minimize the appearance of skin depressions and scars can also benefit, as this filler is non-invasive and requires very little downtime.
In speaking from an age perspective, we recommend this treatment for patients between 35 and 60. But we evaluate each case individually, so those who fall out of this guideline are certainly encouraged to come into our office and speak with us about their treatment goals.
What to Expect
Your treatment starts with a consultation so we can evaluate your skin and discuss your concerns. This is also the time to share with us your health history and current medications. We’ll then look at your goals and craft a personalized treatment plan.
Before Treatment
General guidelines accompany most fillers, and those you may need to follow prior to treatment include:
- Ceasing some medications one week before
- Ceasing some supplements one week before
- Avoiding certain facial products, including those with retinol, three days before
- Avoiding tobacco and alcohol three days before
Depending on your individual needs, we may provide you with additional directives. We’ll provide a specific list tailored to your needs during your consultation. As always, if you have any questions, you are encouraged to ask them throughout the treatment process – we’re here for you.
During Treatment
We’ll begin treatment by cleansing your skin. It’s helpful if you can arrive without makeup, but either way, we’ll use this time to remove dirt, oil, and residue for a completely clean treatment area. The next step is to numb treatment sites with a topical anesthetic. This ensures your comfort and prevents pain in areas with high numbers of nerves, such as the forehead.
If you believe more anesthetic is necessary, you can tell us before we proceed. The number of injections you’ll need depends on the treatment area and intended outcomes. We will spend between 15 and 30 minutes administering injections, which feel like pinpricks but don’t hurt because of the numbing agent. Altogether, your session will last about one hour.
After Treatment
We already mentioned that downtime is minimal with this therapy, although a few guidelines will help ensure rapid healing and effective results:
- Avoid certain medications and supplements for one to three days
- Avoid cosmetics for 24 hours
- Do not expose yourself to sun, heat, or sweating
- Avoid rubbing, touching, or squeezing the treatment area for one to three days
- Sleep in an elevated position
We may also provide recommendations on skin care products or regimens, as well as a timeline of when you can resume exercise. Most patients completely recover from their treatment within about two weeks. During this time, you may have a follow-up appointment with our office to see how you’re responding to treatment.
Your Results
A follow-up will also allow us to decide if additional injections are necessary. While many patients need just one session, we understand that everyone is unique and responds in slightly different ways to treatment.
You’ll likely see effects on the same day of your therapy. These will continue to develop and become more visible throughout the next three to eight weeks. This happens as collagen production ramps up. Results last between one and two years, depending on your treatment area, the condition of your skin, and how your body adjusts to treatment.
Comparing Fillers
HA fillers – and a popular one in this grouping is Juvederm – and collagen stimulators have both earned FDA approval for treating common aging concerns in the face. They have similar uses in that they both reduce the appearance of wrinkles and smooth skin, but they are also different treatments.
We’ll start with the most obvious, which is the production of collagen. This is a game-changer in that it ignites the body’s natural healing processes for more natural results. In scientific analysis, Radiesse has proven notable for its long duration and impressive effects. To illustrate this filler can show a 40 percent improvement in marionette lines even 30 months after treatment.
Different Suitabilities
In comparing this filler specifically to Juvederm, the former is more effective at addressing deeper lines and folds. It is also ideal for treating nasolabial folds and filling larger areas like the cheeks. Essentially, because of its volumizing effects, it is better at lifting the face. For these reasons, around 89 percent of patients would repeat treatment with this injectable.
Juvederm, on the other hand, is better at filling in fine lines and shallow wrinkles. Depending on the product used under this family, it can also be used to add volume to lips and erase fine lines around the mouth.
Reasons to Have Treatment
At the top of this list is immediate results. Some cosmetic therapies require weeks of healing, along with swelling and bruising, before you see the fruits of your efforts. But Radiesse delivers visible effects on the same day. Equally important, those effects are subtle enough to enhance your natural features but dramatic enough to make your face appear smoother and more youthful.
Safety is another high point with this filler. It received FDA approval for safety and reliability in 2006; since that time, more than 250,000 patients have received treatment. It is safe for most patients because of its nontoxic, nonallergenic ingredients, and both men and women can benefit from its effects. Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have bleeding disorders are among the only non-candidates.
Fewer Office Visits
Thanks to the long-lasting results provided by this injectable, you’ll likely need fewer office visits to maintain desired results. In addition, effects improve over time as collagen production is stimulated. Over a six-month period, 85 percent of users reported ongoing results that included smoother skin, fewer wrinkles, and a plumper appearance.
Rejuvenates the Appearance
Many times when speaking of the effects of aging, we focus on wrinkles and loss of volume. But aesthetically, another common problem is the appearance of sunken areas – namely, under the eyes, along the nose, and in the jowls. These areas not only make you look older but also more tired.
This filler can be molded to restore former contours. It is, in fact, often chosen as an alternative to facial implants. Not only can we provide targeted results by manipulating the injectable after it’s in place, but we can also ensure you look completely natural – the “I’ve had work done” look is a thing of the past.
Can Be Used on Hands
As long as you’re turning back the hands of time, you may as well treat your hands. They are just as visible to the world and just as susceptible to wrinkles, age spots, and folds. And regardless of the quantities of moisturizer you use, a more effective alternative is this injectable.
The microspheres can restore lost volume to help hands look plumper and younger. Patients commonly call this the “hand lift,” and it works in the same way as on the face: injections that penetrate below the skin’s surface can provide results that last more than a year.
The Effects of Youth
When weighing your anti-aging treatment options, we urge you to consider Radiesse. Its results are among the most effective and long-lasting on the market, and it’s actually good for your skin. Call Sule Plastic Surgery in Dallas, TX, today and schedule your consultation.