How long does Radiesse last?

I am sorry for your problems. Radiesse should last for about 12 months and the easiest way to soften the lumpy appearance is with massage.

My big concerns with any of the synthetic fillers when considering correction of the tear trough is visibility and inadequate correction.

The skin over the tear trough is very thin, so any filler has to be smooth and colorless. The hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane and Juvederm) can give a blue color under the skin and Radiesse is lumpy as described above.

The best filler is fat, because it is the same color as the fat under the skin, it is natural and you have enough volume (3-5cc per eye) to adequately correct the depression.

Radiesse is a great product when used properly. For the cheeks and nasolabial creases, it is excellent. This is because it can be placed in a deeper dermal plane and maintains its volume for 6 to 12 months. For thinner skin areas, such as around the eyes, I would recommend a hyaluronic acid product such as Juvederm or a collagen product such as Evolence. These products are softer and conform better in the thinner tissue around the eyes. Another option is fat grafting or fat transfer. In this procedure, we take fat from your abdomen or thighs and inject the cells underneath your skin. The fat tends to be softer, especially when injected with the microinjection method.

Now that you already have the Radiesse injected around your eyes and have "bumps" there really is not effective remedy.

The tear troughs are best filled with HA fillers like Restylane for all the reasons listed in the other responses. Unfortunately, the problem you have may be there for a year at least. Massage and time and cover-up are your best friends and only reasonable answers. I wouldn't advise injecting anything more into the area. Hopefully your procedure was done by a physician who will follow you closely and supportively and who also hopefully has learned from your unfortunate experience and has stopped using Radiesse around the eyes.

Radiesse first came to the United States about 10 or 12 years ago as Radiance FN.  Due to trademarking issues the name was changed to Radiesse.  The chemical composition of the material is calcium hydroxylapatite particles suspended in a water based gel carrier.  The initial claims by the manufacturer were that the material would last 4-5 years once injected.  Our clinical experience over the ensuing few years made it clear that the product was persisting for somewhere between 12 and 18 months depending on where it was injected.  To the company's credit, much free product was distributed to Plastic Surgeons to reinject our patients that we had promised 4-5 years of effect. 

In your case, it sounds like the shorter duration will act to your benefit.  Injecting around the lower eyelids is precarious, at best, as you now well know, and I do not recommend Radiesse for the tear trough area in my patients.  Vigorous massaging of the treated areas may help to hasten the absorption of the product.   Lumps and bumps may be camouflaged with the injection of either Restylane or Juvederm around them to even out the area.  They should gradually decrease in size.  If they persist beyond one year and are visible you may consider having them surgically removed.  I would recommend a visit to your treating physician to discuss your results and a course for correction.

Good luck.

Radiesse first came to the United States about 10 or 12 years ago as Radiance FN.  Due to trademarking issues the name was changed to Radiesse.  The chemical composition of the material is calcium hydroxylapatite particles suspended in a water based gel carrier.  The initial claims by the manufacturer were that the material would last 4-5 years once injected.  Our clinical experience over the ensuing few years made it clear that the product was persisting for somewhere between 12 and 18 months depending on where it was injected.  To the company's credit, much free product was distributed to Plastic Surgeons to reinject our patients that we had promised 4-5 years of effect. 

In your case, it sounds like the shorter duration will act to your benefit.  Injecting around the lower eyelids is precarious, at best, as you now well know, and I do not reccommend Radiesse for the tear trough area in my patients.  Vigorous massaging of the treated areas may help to hasten the absorption of the product.   Lumps and bumps may be camouflaged with the injection of either Restylane or Juvederm around them to even out the area.  If they persist beyond one y

I have used Radiesse in my practice since 2003 and have found it to last for about 12 months (I agree with a previous post which stated 9-15 months).  However, in my hands, the primary indication and the greatest level of satisfaction has been for treatment of the nasolabial folds (defining line that makes the junction of upper lip and cheek).  Radiesse is a very viscous filler and is most suitable when used to fill areas where the skin is thicker.  Typically the region of the tear trough and periorbital skin (skin around the eyes) is the thinnest skin in the body.  Therefore Radiesse is more likely to be visible when injected in this area, and have a higher incidence of granuloma formation. 

Definitely seek attention for this problem although it is likely to resolve spontaneously.

In my experience Radiesse can be expected to last around a year. This is unfortunately a very difficult problem, and I would sit down with your plastic surgeon and have an examination. It could be improved with direct milking or removal of the product, but it is difficult to know without knowing what exactly was done during the procedure and what your examination is like now.

Hi Anon,

I do not use Radiesse under the eyes in the tear trough hollow because unlike hyaluronic acids (Juvederm, Restylane, and Prevelle Silk) it is not reversible.  Sometimes hyaluronic acids can be used to camouflage the "bumps" until the Radiesse dissolves.  Radiesse can last up to 9-15 months.  Consult with your physician or with a physician who is very experienced at injections in this delicate area.  The good news is that the Radiesse will eventually disappear. 

Dr. Jeffrey Hoefflin's answer to your question is most complete and I agree with what he has said.  I hope that your problem resolves most quickly.  Be well.

Dr. P

I am sorry to hear what has happened to you. Radiesse in an inexperienced or poorly trained injector's hands can lead to a variety of problems.

Radiesse lasts as short as 3 months to usually a year depending on the patient. Please visit your local plastic surgeon to determine if there are ways to treat and hide these side effects.

I agree with the previous authors on most points. In my opinion, Radiesse should not be used for treating the tear trough orinfraorbital hollowing. There are better solutions with a small particle size. While patients may tolerate surface irregularities, granulomas, or assymetries in the nasolabial, these complications are more difficult to tolerate and treat in the eye region.

The bumps or surface irregularities can become very apparent under the eyes, whether a hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Juvederm, etc), Sculptra, Radiesse, autologous fat, or silicone particle-based solution is injected.

We fortunately can expect some improvement with Wydase in reversing the hyaluronic based solutions. Specifically with respect to Radiesse:

• If the bumps are readily visible a short time after injection, an immediate consultation should be requested with your physician and aggressive massaging may help.

• If discrete white bumps are visible, then a small incision can be made to "milk" out the material. These usually will not leave a permanent or visible scar.

• Direct surgical excision becomes extremely difficult in chronic (more than several months) because of the foreign body reaction and encapsulation with fibrous scar, and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

• However, if a concomitant blepharoplasty can be performed, then either excision or camouflaging with a layer of either crushed fascia or Alloderm can sometimes improve the appearance.

I would avoid any further injections to the eyes during this period of resolution. And while the manufacturers may state the product may last for up to three years, I have observed a time period of one year or so a more reproducible time period.

Lumps are quite rare with Radiesse. I suspect that there has been a very superficial injection with a large volume. I recommend that you see your physician and consider very aggressive massage over the lumpy area and it should disappear rapidly.

Radiesse is known as calcium hydroxyapatite. It is similar in structure to dental enamel. It is quite biocompatible, but because of its thicker nature needs to be placed in the deep dermal layer of the skin. When injected, it is roughly 70% gel carrier and 30% active ingredient.

In most cases it takes 10-12 weeks for the absorbable carrier gel to go away. A good amount of the product injected into your under eye region should go away. But I would recommend aggressive massage.

Occasionally, if the Radiesse is too superficial, a 16 or 18 gauge needle can be used to make a small incision in the skin to milk out the Radiesse.

If there is a well formed white lump that is superficial, it is sometimes possible to remove some of the Radiesse. If the Radiesse is deeper in the skin it becomes very difficult to remove.

Radiesse is a filler that can last 10-18 months. It contains calcium hydroxyapatite which can make it more firm than hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane.

Injections around the eyes do cause a great deal of swelling and can bruise easily, as well.

If you are concerned about bumps or small deposits of Radiesse, the best thing to do is to see your plastic surgeon to see what he or she may be able to offer.

Radiesse usually lasts a year or longer. Because the eye skin is very thin, it is not uncommon for it to be noticeable.  This happens with  many fillers around the eyes if it is injected too superficially.