Is Juvederm Voluma an Alternative to Radiesse?

Your
question about whether I prefer Juvederm Voluma versus Radiesse for
large area volumizing, such as cheek hollows, is good one. The
answer is, “It depends”. What it depends upon is what we need to
do with the cheeks and how heavy the skin is. Juvederm Voluma is a
soft, cushiony, very natural cheek builder. It will give a pillowy
cheek with soft contour. On the other hand, some patients have
larger faces and heavy skin and in order to lift the cheeks and
create cheekbones we actually need something with greater thickness
that is less prone to flattening. That filler would be Radiesse.
There is a property called G prime that refers to how easily it can
be compressed or flattened. It turns out that Radiesse has the
highest G' of all the fillers and Juvederm Voluma is in the middle.
Sometimes I want to really lift the cheeks or create a sharp contour
with the cheekbones. Then my choice would be Radiesse. Other times I
want to soften and smooth irregularities, lift to some degree, or the
skin may be thinner and we want something more forgiving. In that
case I would choose Juvederm Voluma. Both products stimulate the
production of new collagen and are capable of giving a long-term
result of a year or longer. Radiesse stimulates collagen a bit more
and Juvederm Voluma may last a bit longer due to its Vycross
technology. Both are excellent products for the cheek. Again, it
depends on each patient’s individual face.

One
advantage of Juvederm Voluma is that it is composed of hyaluronic
acid. This is a substance that we can dissolve, should you not like
the look of your cheeks or should there be any rare adverse effects.
Other non-hyaluronic acid fillers cannot be dissolved, but they will
just wear away naturally. With a board certified dermatologist who is
experienced in many fillers, this difference should not be an issue.

For
cheek hollows that are lower down in the face, I sometimes prefer
Juvederm Voluma or less thick versions like Juvederm Ultra, Ultra
Plus or even something in the Restylane family, such as Restylane or
the new Restylane Defyne. These products are a bit more light weight
and will move naturally with smiling and other movement near the
mouth. It is important to understand that we often mix and match
these fillers in the face to choose just the right filler for that
particular area. This is again a reason why you want to pick your
provider to be someone who is very skilled in analyzing the face and
choosing the right product for the right place.

Voluma and Radiesse can both work quite well for adding volume in the cheeks. Voluma has the advantage of being a hyaluronic acid based product so that it can be reversed with hyaluronidase in the event of dissatisfaction or any other issues. This is not true of Radiesse, which is a calcium-based product. Your body has to break down Radiesse over time in order to remove it - there is no quick fix.
That being said, both are great at volumizing the cheeks. Radiesse tends to be a little less expensive for the amount of product that is used. The studies on Voluma show that it lasts up to 2 years in many patients. I also anecdotally think that Voluma produces very natural and beautiful results, making it one of my favorite injectable products for that reason.
All the best,

Hello,

Thank you for your question. Voluma is a much more natural looking product. Radiesse can be very harsh, it swells for several days, and doesn't always move naturally as you move your face. However it can be a stronger product for someone who needs a stronger lift. Good luck!

I like Voluma because it is a hyaluronic acid filler and can be dissolved should that be necessary, although this is rare. Radiesse can not be dissolved.  Vouma can last up to two years whereas Radiesse does not persist clinically more than a year for my patients. I still use Radiesse, but more for the lower cheeks and I use Voluma more for the temples and cheekbone areas of the upper cheeks and mid cheeks.

Voluma and Radiesse are both tools that an experienced injection specialist can incorporate into your treatment plan.  Voluma has the advantage of being reversible, slightly softer product with an excellent duration.  Radiesse can is a non-reversible, firmer product also with an excellent duration in patients.  Depending on the look of the patient each product can play a role.

Juvederm Voluma is currently the only FDA-approved injectable filler to instantly add volume to the cheek area. Radiesse was on the market before Voluma and offered patients longer lasting results. However, now that Voluma is available and it lasts for up to 2 years, it is my preferred filler to volumize and contour the cheeks. Over the past couple of years as Voluma has become more and more popular, my patients cannot stop raving about how much they love their Voluma results. It is important to find a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to perform your Voluma injections to make sure you get the best possible results. 

Voluma and Radiesse are different types of fillers, but both can work well to volumize the cheek and temple areas. Voluma is a hyaluronic acid filler that provides immediate, dramatic results, and is especially good for the upper cheeks and temples. It lasts for up to two years as well, making it one of the longest lasting hyaluronic acid fillers available. Another benefit of Voluma is that it can be reversed with hyaluronidase if for some reason you do not like your results. Radiesse is a collagen building filler that uses calcium microspheres to stimulate collagen production in desired areas. It is especially good for treating areas such as nasolabial folds and for cheek and chin augmentation. Radiesse cannot be reversed, but it can provide subtle, natural rejuvenation when done by a skilled, board-certified dermatologist. I recommend visiting a board-certified dermatologist for an in-person consultation to come up with a custom treatment plan for you. Ultimately, the type of filler used is not as important as the skill of the dermatologist injecting you. 

In my practice, Voluma has replaced Radiesse for large-area volumizing, such as cheek hollows or to highlight the cheek bones.  I also use it as a primary filler for any bony facial areas that I am trying to volumize: cheek, jaw, chin, top of bony nasal bridge, etc.  I think it lasts longer than Radiesse, easier to mold than Radiesse once injected, less likely to form superficial nodules and irregularity, and completely reversible because you can dissolve it with hyaluronidase.  I think the overlying skin also looks a little bit better compare with Radiesse.  Voluma is not new.  It had been used in Europe for several years prior to FDA approval here in the States.  The one big drawback is the price which costs more than Radiesse per syringe.

Both Voluma and Radiesse are appropriate products that can be used to fill cheek hollows. Neither one is necessarily “better” than the other, but each have their own unique characteristics and can achieve subtly different looks. Voluma tends to give a softer, rounder fill whereas Radiesse achieves a sharper, more sculpted lift. The natural facial structure of each individual patient, as well as their concerns and goals must be carefully evaluated before selecting which product would be preferable in each case.

I personally love working with Voluma, and find that it works just as well for cheek volumizing, and has a more natural look to it. It is a very versatile product that has many advantages over Radiesse. It is a hyaluronic acid, similar to what is already in your skin, it is reversible with an enzyme (which is great to have as an option), and is softer, with a much lower risk of any firm nodules or lumpiness to the product.