I am 40, and have stayed away from the sun for years, since early 20's. Like a vampire! I don't drink or smoke either. I have malar edema that is supposedly from voluma/radiesse placed in my cheeks about two years ago. At least that's what I've been told. I've been to several surgeons, all recommending different treatment. Surgery, laser, try to dissolve then laser, filler with laser, surgery with Botox, etc...all different and confusing. How do I decide which is the best way to go?
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Hi @smp110! I'm sorry you are dealing with these complications. I recommend dissolving the product with Hylenex then getting Morpheus 8 done. Morpheus8 is a non-surgical treatment for full body skin resurfacing, skin tightening, and fat reduction of stubborn areas. It uses minimally invasive fractional radiofrequency energy (RF) to penetrate the skin deeper than other microneedling devices, triggering the skin’s natural healing response to promote skin tightening and lifting. Best of luck, Dr. Nima!
Dr. Nima Shemirani, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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Thank you for your question and I am sorry to hear of your filler issues. If you feel that you still have product remaining I would advise dissolving the Voluma with hyaluronidase while waiting out the effects of Radiesse (which should be nearly completely resolved). Hope this helps.
Dr. Nelson Castillo, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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Please post photos for further evaluation. There is no way to give treatment advice without photos or an in person consultation. Best, Dr. Emer
Dr. Jason Emer, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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This is definitely a complicated problems to deal with. I have treated people several years after cheek or undereye filler who had persistent swelling in the undereye area. Removal of the filler with hyaluronidase has remedied most of these problems. Interestingly, these treatments were performed in some cases at a time when the filler should not have been there. I would recommend removing any of the hyaluronic acid filler (Voluma) before considering any other treatments. The unknown is that Radiesse cannot be dissolved or removed and needs to naturally be broken down. Typically, this occurs very early and the product is replaced with collagen. So the problem is that the Radiesse/ collagen is there and cannot be reliably removed with surgery. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Stephen Weber MD, FACS
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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It is important to know what exactly was placed in your cheek. Voluma will slowly absorb and is gone in many after 2 years. However, in some it may lasts longer. The enzyme to remove it can be tried first. Without photos, I cannot give any specific recommendations.
