Radiesse is an injectable filler that is used to improve the cosmetic appearance of the skin. Radiesse is made of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) gel microspheres that work immediately upon injection. CaHA is made up of ions of phosphate and calcium, which occur naturally in the human body. It is different from other fillers because it stimulates your body’s natural collagen, filling in wrinkles long term and helping your skin develop new collagen in the process. This treatment is intended for wrinkles and folds around the mouth and nose, and areas of fat loss in the face. It can also be used for the backs of hands where volume has been lost. With Radiesse treatment you will have immediate results, however, you will also have long term improvement in the quality and texture of your skin as new collagen is produced. It is possible to see results for up to two years before repeat procedures are required. Radiesse has a high G prime and thus can be used as a filler to produce lift and replace volume. Because it comes in syringes that are 1.5cc (as opposed to the standard 1cc of the hyaluronic fillers) it can be an affordable way to get significant volume replacement.
Hyperdiluted Radiesse is simply Radiesse that has been diluted / thinned out, with a mixture of sterile saline solution and lidocaine. This makes it an easily spreadable biostimulator capable of remodeling skin over a larger area. In recent years, the use of Radiesse in a hyperdiluted form has increased. In this form, it is a biostimulatory agent, rather than a volumizing filler, and can be used to improve skin quality, texture, tone and firmness. It can be used in the face, neck, décolletage and other areas of the body to help improve thin, creepy skin. When this diluted mixture is injected into areas of collagen loss, it triggers the body to produce new collagen and elastin. The result is a skin rejuvenating treatment with pronounced and visible smoother, firmer, younger-looking skin. The benefits of this treatment are skin tightening and thickening, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crepiness. Treatment of the décolletage will also reduce the pigment from sun damage. Overall, skin tone, texture and elasticity are markedly improved.
Areas where hyperdilute Radiesse can be used include:
- Mid and lower face
- Neck lines and/or neck in patients with mild to moderate laxity
- Décolletage
- Buttocks with cellulitic dimples (in patients with moderate to severe cellulite) to reduce the appearance of dimpling
- Above knees to address the knee lines from lax skin with aging
Two to three treatment sessions, 4-6 weeks apart are usually required to achieve the desired aesthetic effects. Two treatments are typical, though severe sun damage or severe skin laxity may require more. Though preliminary research shows that results with hyperdiluted Radiesse may last up to two years, one will likely want to have one hyperdilute Radiesse treatment every 12 to 18 months for maintenance. The peak results are usually seen around 6 months after the first treatment.
Hyperdiluted Radiesse can be used alone. Yet when addressing areas with harder to treat concerns, such as the neck or chest, it is best to treat in combination with other tightening and resurfacing procedures, such as the Secret RF, microneedling or fractionated ablative lasers, because they work together to improve dermal collagen.