Victoria Falcone

You are calling it scar tissue but it is most likely what we call "post operative edema." I have seen some very impresssive edema with very large "hard spots" that go away to an absolutely beautiful result. It can take 6 to 8 month for some patients to get to their end result. It takes time for all patients. In the end, if there is retained fat, you can't get a touch up until at least 6 months post op. You have to wait because we all expect your swelling could last at least that long. There are a few people who will even take longer. In the meantime, just try to be positive and hope for the best. In the end, if you do need a touch up and have lost confidence in your provider, hopefully you can get some good advice on a referral from someone on this website.

Sue, I understand your frustration but what you are experiencing still may be totally and completely normal. If you want to try and speed the process why don't you go for lymphatic drainage or ultrasound treatments. YOu could look up a provider in your area. In the end, you will end up in the same place but if you are desperate to get faster resolutions, a series of lymphatic treatments may help.

Hang in there. What you are experiencing is completely normal. All smartlipo patients have some level of post operative edema (swelling) which creates the hard and lumpy feeling and appearance. The best thing you can do is massage the areas at least 5 minutes twice daily to help with the healing process. There are other treatments that will speed your healing but they are costly. You will heal on your own over time just as your doctor told you. Massage, Massage, Massage. You just had surgery. You body will take time to heal, reattach your skin and remodel to your new appearance.

I am a very big injector of Radiesse and all of the dermal fillers. My patients think the product is fantastic. A few things regarding your treatment...it does not sound you had enough product to finish the correction. Usually I let my patients know what I feel it will take to give them the correction they are seeking prior to the treatment. An experienced injector is usually fairly accurate with estimates. There is no guarantee of course because we don't know what support you have under the skin but we can usually predict if at least one more syringe will be needed. I offer a discount if I inject a second syringe during the same treatment. It does sound like you paid considerably more than the pricing in my area. In Philadelphia, Radiesse cost is between $700 and $1000 per syringe. Regarding your pain, I mix Radiesse with lidocaine so that once the product is injected, you will be numb. We also use a topical numbing agent 30 minutes prior to treatment and ice. It is definitely a thicker product than Juvederm and hurts a bit more upon initial injection. An experienced provider would probably mix it with a small amount of lidocaine to make it very comfortable. I inject this into myself so I am giving you both the perspective of a patient and physician. You mentioned the lump under your eye during injection and the doctor pushing the area. I would say most of us mold the product as we go along. It lasts a long time and we want to make sure the product implant is smooth and well sculpted. By touching the area we can usually tell if it is swelling, bruising or the product needs molding. IF you were bleeding, the treatment is also firm pressure. Either way, molding or bruising, sounds like the doctor was using a standard technique. Regarding, longevity. It does last 12-18 months in my patients. In your case it sounds like you paid a lot of money for one syringe, needed two syringes, had a painful experience and are now taking it out on the product. Radiesse is not your problem. YOu should just ask your doctor if they would inject another syringe to complete your correction at a very hefty discount. Once you have the correct volume you will notice the difference and see a longer lasting correction than you would have achieved with a hyaluronic acid filler. If you were in my area I would help you. If you are not comforable going back to your physician, perhaps you can find another sympathetic doctor to help you complete your correction at a discount. In the end they could gain you as a new patient. Just ask them how they plan to provide you pain relief first so that you will have a better experience.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. When I inject lips, I numb patients with both a cream and a nerve block similar to what you receive at the dentist. It makes the lip injection virtually pain free. You should ask for a dental block next time. The lips are very vascular and bruise easily even in the very best hands. Your bruising is not unexpected. The doctor could have warned you of the bruising risks. Some feel that taking Arnica Montana and Bromelien (herbal remedies) can help with bruising. You may want to try it before your next injection. YOu should also be off aspirin, motrin, advil or any anti-inflammatory for at least two weeks prior to injection. High dose vitamin E, vitamin A, St John's wort, Flax Oil and Omega 3 fatty acid supplements also increase bruising risk. Hopefully your result is worth the suffering. Juvederm ultra plus lasts 9 months in my lips when adequately filled. I do think it is the best lip filler currently available. I have tried pretty much everything. I always bruise but with Arnica Montana, it seems to go away faster. Better luck next time.