Fast facts

Radiesse


What it is: Radiesse is a long-lasting dermal filler consisting of calcium-based microspheres in water based gel.  Radiesse is injected into the skin for cosmetic enhancement or correction of facial features.  Radiesse is intended to restore facial volume and stimulate new collagen growth.  


What it addresses:  Contouring and facial skin problems commonly associated with aging:

- Smile Lines
- Marionette Lines
- Cheeks
- Jaw Line
- Nasolabial fold
- Deep wrinkles


MORE INFORMATION

Question

Should I try a different filler to correct poor Radiesse results?

A Radiesse injection left an indentation in one cheek. The attempt at correction made it worse. 

Should I hope it will go back to normal in time or try to have to another filler placed in indenation?


Asked by: Julie London

Answers (7)

Sort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1
November 15, 2008

Radiesse is not like the other fillers

Robert M. Freund, MD
Robert M. Freund, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Dear Julie,

Trying to understand what went wrong is difficult by email. The things that can cause your problem include;

  1. Too much filler in one area (overcorrection).
  2. A scar in the skin that does not allow skin to expand when a filler is injected, thereby creating the appearance of a depression.
  3. Injection of radiesse too close to the skin. Not all fillers are the same, if Radiesse is injected as close to the skin as the other fillers (Restylane and Juvederm) it will create more lumps and bumps.
  4. Radiesse injected around the mouth has an increase risk for cyst formation. The cyst can create the apppearnce of deprssions around it.

Treatments:

For #1 - try to correct the areas around the original filler, but if this creates too much or a mountain of filler, consider massage or steroid injections.

For #2 - consider subcision and filling of the scar. Subcision is a technique to break up the scar and then fill the depression. This technique is also good for acne scars.

For #3 - The only thing to do is massage.

For #4 - Massage or steroid injection should help.

Good luck,

Robert M. Freund, MD, FACS

2
October 3, 2008

Poor Radiesse results not so easily corrected.

George J. Beraka, MD
George J. Beraka, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon
I would really need to know what you mean by poor results. If the problem is that you did not get good correction, perhaps you simply need another treatment with additional filler. Radiesse is a useful and safe filler which I use frequently. If by poor results you mean bumps or irregular contour, that is quite hard to correct, and I am not sure that a different filler would help in this situation. Radiesse is a very long lasting filler, so unfortunately any lumps produced by Radiesse also tend to be quite long lasting. 
 
With all fillers, problem results are usually related to the technique of injection rather than with the material itself. As I said before, Radiesse is a perfectly good, safe, long lasting filler. I use it along with Juvederm and Restylane and I decide which is best for each individual patient. 
3
September 4, 2008

Be careful no to do too much

Edgar Franklin Fincher, MD, PhD
Edgar Franklin Fincher, MD, PhD
Board Certified
Dermatologist

Any filler can occasionally result in bumps or slight skin irregularities. It is most often a result of where the filler is placed ( too high in the skin) or how much is used (overcorrection).  Generally speaking, these slight imperfections can be alleviated with massage, extraction or using a needle and cortisone injections to break up hard bumps. These all must be done by experienced hands so as not to worsen the problem.

Sometimes, indentations can be caused by small scars in the skin that are not obvious at the time of injection.  These cn be from old wounds that have healed, past surgeries or acne scars.  This situation causes the filler substance to pool around the scar creating an indentation in the center.  This situation can be corrected using subcision, a technique that breaks up underlying scrs through a single needle stick. Once the scar is removed, a little extra filler smoothes out the dent.

4
August 6, 2008

Radiesse complications

Radiesse is an injectable form of calcium hydroxylapatite and tends to be thicker than hyaluronic acid-based fillers.  Radiesse generally lasts aound 9 months, but traces of the product can remain for longer than one year.

Rarely, granulomas can form after Radiesse injections. These are areas of inflammation that can present as a red, tender lump. Small amounts of steroids injected locally can help in the resolution of granulomas. Massage may also be of benefit.

A depression caused by scar tissue after inflammation such as a granuloma may be treated with subcision with a needle or a wire scalpel. Further injections with another class of filler may also disguise a visibile irregularity.

In most cases, these complications are self-resolving and many patients are happier after receiving reassurance.

5
July 29, 2008

Restylane to correct Radiesse

Mary Lupo, MD
Mary Lupo, MD
Board Certified
Dermatologist
Answer by Mary Lupo, MD

As Radiesse is injected more frequently by inexperienced physicians, I am seeing more and more complications. Radiesse is not very "user friendly" and unlike Restylane, Perlane, and Juvederm, it cannot be dissolved.

The most common problem is over-injection, causing lumps. Sometimes, this can be reversed with aggressive massage, especially if done in the first 2 weeks.

Other times, the Radiesse was injected in the wrong place (like lateral to the nasolabial fold). For those, I softened the drop off by injecting Restylane in a feathering pattern around the area to blend.

Finally, the big problem is incorrect injection into the lips, causing hard pea-sized papules. Sometimes they must be cut out using a stab opening to pop it out.

In the end, Radiesse complications go away 100%. It can just take up to one year, so see an experienced injector next time.

6
July 20, 2008

Figure out what went wrong prior to adding a different dermal filler

You might consider what left you with a less than aesthetic appearance or a complication prior to considering the addition of another dermal filler. Many of the problems encountered can be corrected through either massaging, extraction, or some addition of the same filler, etc.

  • Many areas of ovecorrection, undercorrection, or surface irregularities can be improved (not always resolved) through either massaging, extraction (if recently injected) or the additional of small amounts of filler. Sometimes an undercorrection can be experienced if the physician injected your particular deep subdermal or, more likely, in the subcutaneous plane. Remember that all patients will swell immediately after injection, and may exhibit residual swelling for days after the initial injection. Thus, hold off on any sharp criticism and decision planning until you're confident that the majority of the swelling has resolved.
  • Even in the most skilled hands, sometimes patients exhibit a better result with one dermal filler than another, etc. It is my suggestion that you stay with that same product that's previously worked.
  • Keep things simple. Choosing a larger particle-based filler for deeper lines (Sculptra, Artefill, Radiesse) can be complemented with a small particle for more superficial lines (Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane), etc. In addition, we know Botox and fillers are complimentary as well. But I believe using multiple products during the same injection period can complicate what should be a straightforward process.

However, it is my suggestion that trying to find out why a less than optimal aesthetic appearance resulted is more important than simply adding in one more product into the mix.

7
July 20, 2008

Radiesse is not supposed to leave indentations!

If you have an indentation after an injection, it should be fairly easy to put a little more filler in the area and smooth it out. If this has already been done and you still have the indentation, you may have some scar tissue that is holding the indentation in place. More filler will just raise the area around the indentation and make it worse. There is a technique called subcision where the doctor can use the tip of the needle to cut the adhesions before injecting.

If you have 2 bad results in a row, I think your best bet is to get a second opinion before you try a second filler.

Comments (1)
June Wallis
June Wallis
10/19/08

I had Bio alcamid last year to smooth out the lines from my nose to my mouth and also the line under my chin. I have since lost a stone in weight and as my face has thinned out, I can see on the left side of my face imperfections where the bio alcamid is. I have small lumps on the left side of my chin and a line of bio alcamid which is not in the actual line from my nose to my mouth, but next to it. This actually makes the left side of my face look a bit swollen.As you know, bio alcamid is permanent.
Would Radiesse help sort out this problem? If I were to have Radiesse injected into the places where the bio alcamid was supposed to be, would it even out my face?
Can Radiess be used in conjunction with Bio Alcamid?

Write a comment

(required, shown publicly)
(required, kept private)
  • Allowed HTML tags: <p> <br> <em> <strong> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <div>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may link to webpages through the weblinks registry

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
Enter the numbers in the image below (no spaces)
Image CAPTCHA

Comments for unregistered users are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines

Check out more Q+A about Radiesse

Have a question? Ask it

IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
  •     Cancel