Radiesse: Stories

Along with the nodules on the inside of my mouth I am having the same problem with the redness along the corners of my mouth. It has been almost 4 months since my radiesse treatment and the redness along the corners of my mouth has not gone away. Is there something I can do to alleviate it. Sometimes it seems to get warm. I have taken a prescription for infection and that was not the problem. The Dr. supposedly has 3 years experience and has since moved out of town. What can I do?

Jill, I hate to hear stories like this. I wonder who did your injections? Experience really matters when it is your face. Everyone wants to get into the cosmetic business and it has led to a lot of inexperienced providers taking a one day class given by the product distributor and the next day charging patients for their services. Experienced providers (by experienced I mean that this is what they do everyday, all day and have been doing it for more than a year) know their products and how deep in the skin they should be injected. From what you say, I suspect it was either injected too superficially or too much product was used. The good news is...I am an experienced provider (it is what I do everyday, all day, for 6 years) and my experience with Radiesse is that I have never seen it last 2 years. The product is always detectable at two years because it is calcium. It was originally developed as a radiological marker (it shows up on xray). This is why you (hopefully) were instructed that you need to notify your dentist that you have had this product. I am dismayed that you were charged for what I am guessing was laser to correct the redness. Most facilities will do this at no charge or at a reduced rate. Oh, and you should know that if it was laser that was used, laser will stimulate collagen production. And the philosophy behind Radiesse is that your body will build a collagen "matrix" on the calcium microspheres (Radiesse is calcium microspheres in a gel carrier...the gel dissapates and the microspheres..in theory..act like a ladder for collagen to form around). Don't give up on fillers! Do your homework. Ask specific questions: How long have you been doing this? If they say, "I have been a doctor for 10 years" ask specifically how long they have been doing the procedure you are having performed. I've been an RN for 18 years, but have only been injecting fillers for 6. How many they have done? Look at before and after pictures!!!! Again, I wouldn't let anyone work on me who hasn't been doing this for at least two years full-time! Radiesse is being heavily marketed right now because it just received FDA approval for cosmetic use. This also means that almost all injectors are new. Some of us that have been around a while used it "off label" when it was known as Radiance. Truthfully, I am not impressed with the product. Fortunately for you, it does not have the longevity the promoters insinuate. Stick to the HAs like Juvederm (great longevity and very natural) or Restylane (great for really sagging tissue and last up to a year). They are extremely safe and what you inject is what you get. There is no guesswork. No waiting to see how much collagen your body will make. Good Luck, L.