RADIESSE®

model radiesse

Most of our patients are familiar with our hyaluronic acid-based fillers in the Juvéderm and Restylane lines. You may not have heard of Radiesse.

Radiesse uses calcium microspheres to trigger collagen production at the injection sites, having the body fill smile lines, issues at the corners of the mouth, chin wrinkles, and other signs of aging from within. If you are interested learning more about Radiesse and whether you are a candidate for treatment, give Dr. Patrick M. Flaharty a call at (239) 415-7576 today!

What is Radiesse?

Radiesse is classified as a “synthetic dermal filler.” That’s because, unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, Radiesse uses calcium-based microsphere that are suspended in a water-gel to fill lines and creases and to return volume to sunken areas. The key is the calcium-based microspheres in Radiesse. The body breaks them down, as it does dissolvable sutures, and this encourages production of collagen which then returns volume naturally. Radiesse is excellent for nasolabial folds and sunken areas, and the FDA has also approved Radiesse for use on the backs of the hands.

How is Radiesse different from other dermal fillers?

Most dermal fillers, such as the Juvéderm and Restylane lines, are made basically from hyaluronic acid. When they are injected, the hyaluronic acid binds with nearby water molecules and this provides instant volume.

Radiesse is different in that it is made with calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres in an aqueous gel. When injected beneath a crease or area of volume loss, the body begins to absorb the calcium microspheres. When this happens, it triggers new collagen production in the area. We all know collagen is the secret to firm, younger looking skin. The problem is that after our 20th birthday, our bodies produce one additional percentage point less collagen every year. By the time we’re 50, we have 30 percent less collagen. That’s why our skin thins, loses volume, and develops lines and creases.

Whereas other dermal fillers, as their name implies, “fill” in the space under a line or wrinkle pushing the skin back up, Radiesse instead stimulates your own body to create new collagen. This firms the skin, erases lines and wrinkles, and returns volume, but your body is doing the work with the new collagen it is producing.

What facial areas can Radiesse treat?

Radiesse restores lost volume in the lower face. Specifically, it is excellent for smile lines (the lines that run from the nose down to the corners of the mouth), marionette lines (the lines running downward from the corners of the mouth), pre-jowl folds, drooping corners of the mouth, and chin wrinkles.

What can Radiesse do for my hands?

The backs of your hands can really show your age as collagen declines and your skin thins. This allows tendons and blood vessels to become more and more prominent. This is especially the case here in on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida, where our hands get so much sun exposure.

Radiesse is the only dermal filler approved by the FDA to restore volume to the backs of the hands. It fills out the shrunken look that comes with aging hands, leaving a smooth, natural-looking result. Radiesse also minimizes the visibility of veins and tendons, another byproduct of volume loss. By providing instant volume, plus encouraging the production of new collagen (as described above), Radiesse makes your hands look remarkably younger with results that last up to a year.

Who is an ideal candidate for Radiesse?

Patients with signs of aging in the lower face are good candidates for Radiesse, particularly those with prominent smile and marionette lines. Also, if you have lines around the mouth and chin, Radiesse is a good choice. Radiesse can be effective on the temples for areas of volume loss. Plus, if your hands have elevating tendons and blood vessels, we can use Radiesse to mask these. Radiesse uses calcium-based microspheres and calcium occurs naturally in the human body, so allergic reactions are very rare.

Because Radiesse initiates the production of new supplies of collagen across the injection sites, our patients from Fort Myers and Cape Coral down to Naples like that their results are natural. After all, this is your body creating the increase in collagen; it’s not simply a volume boost from a filler gel.

The only patients not eligible for Radiesse injections with our team at Azul are those with active skin infections or active inflammation.

How long does a Radiesse session take?

Our two Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, Britten Stine and Emily Laeser, handle our Radiesse injections. We apply topical numbing cream prior to your injections, which takes 15 minutes or so to take effect. After that, your injections only take around 15 minutes. These are perfect lunchtime treatments, as they are short in duration, and you can go right back to work afterwards without any recovery or downtime.

When will I see results after my Radiesse session?

Radiesse is unique in that it has two levels of results. It provides instant volume where injected thanks to the aqueous gel and calcium microspheres. But the main results come when the microspheres stimulate the body to produce new supplies of collagen in the injection areas. This collagen boost isn’t instant but starts in 7-10 days after injection and continues for many months.

How long does Radiesse provide results?

Thanks to the new collagen production triggered by Radiesse, you can expect your results to last for one year or longer in some patients.

What are the side effects with Radiesse?

The typical side effects after injection of Radiesse include swelling, pain, itching, redness, and bruising at the injection sites. There is a slight risk of infection. If Radiesse is accidently placed into a blood vessel there is the potential for serious side effects, but this is exceedingly rare thanks to the training and experience of our highly trained and experienced nurse practitioners who handle our injectables at Azul.

Schedule a RADIESSE® Consultation in Fort Myers!

Ready to learn more about how RADIESSE at our Naples and Fort Myers-area practice can help you look your best? Request a consultation using our convenient online form, or call the office directly at (239) 415-7576. Dr. Flaharty and his skilled team look forward to serving you!

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