45-year-old patient before and one month after Radiesse treatment to the hands
*Actual patient of Dr. Lum*
What Is Radiesse®?
Radiesse® is a volumizing injectable filler that works by restoring volume to face or hands to smooth out the signs of aging. It is FDA-approved for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds and to correct lost volume in the hands.
Once injected, it works with your body to stimulate the production of your own natural collagen for results that may last a year or more in many patients.¹²
Radiesse® Volumizing Filler is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in a gel carrier. Radiesse® Volumizing Filler is approximately 30% CaHA and 70% gel carrier by volume.
Dr. Lum has also used it for volumizing the cheeks, hollow temple areas, and the skin of aged hands.
Radiesse® is manufactured by Merz Aesthetics, Inc.
How Does It Work?
Radiesse® Volumizing Filler can be injected into your skin in a simple, minimally invasive procedure. Initially, the product provides an immediate one-to-one correction of the facial wrinkle. The gel carrier helps to deliver the CaHA microspheres evenly into the skin. Over the course of weeks as your body absorbs the gel, you may notice a decrease in the correction. However, CaHA microspheres remain and work to stimulate the growth of your own collagen. This process is known as “neocollagenesis.”¹ Adequate correction may require repeat treatment(s) to help build up the collagen. With adequate treatment, results can show extended correction and last a year or more in many patients.²
The cosmetic results are soft and natural looking, and feel like your own tissue. The results are long-lasting, but not permanent. Over time, your body absorbs the product and leaves behind only your own natural collagen.
Does It Hurt?
Radiesse® Volumizing Filler is FDA approved to mix with lidocaine (an anesthetic). That means you can experience a more comfortable wrinkle treatment. In fact, in a clinical study, using Radiesse® Volumizing Filler mixed with lidocaine significantly reduced pain in 90% of patients treated.³
Dr. Lum will offer you different options to help make your procedure a comfortable one.
¹ Berlin A, Hussain M, Goldberg D. (2008) Calcium Hydroxylapatite Filler for Facial Rejuvenation: A Histologic and Immunohistochemical Analysis. Dermatologic Surgery, Volume 34, S64-S67.2 Bass LS, Smith S, Busso M, McClaren M. (2010) Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) for Treatment of Nasolabial Folds: Long-Term Safety and Efficacy Results, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 30 (2), 235-238.
³ Based on a clinical study of 50 patients. Split face treatments of Radiesse® Volumizing Filler alone and Radiesse® Volumizing Filler mixed with 2% lidocaine were given to patients. Significant pain reduction is defined as a 2 point reduction on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data on file.
