Unhappy with Radiesse Results - I Can't Tell Much Difference

Radiesse is a stimulatory filler that is an excellent option for patients who desire a longer-lasting filler alternative to hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. In our office, we use Radiesse to complement structural areas of the face and contour bony prominences. Our office also is a center of excellence for filler complication treatments and we see patients who have been treated by other doctors and have undesirable results from Radiesse or other long-lasting fillers. We have treatment options available for Radiesse filler nodules, granulomas, and soft tissue thickening. The first step would be to diagnose the nodularity and determine whether there is an option for surgical vs. non-surgical removal. Surgical excision is a possibility in some patients; whereas others with more diffuse fillers may benefit from intralesional therapy using scar modulators and enzymes and kenalog. Radiesse complications may be long-lasting and prompt action is key. Patients who have no access to an expert in the field should begin gentle massage of the areas of nodularity with Plato’s Scar Serum twice daily. RF and invasive lasers can actually do more damage by stimulating further collagen growth.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Radiesse provides incredible results in the right hands.  Generally, when patients are unhappy it's because the expectations were not addressed or conveyed appropriately in advance.  There are 2 possibilities: 1. not enough product was used to achieve the result or 2. some patients with round faces or generous cheeks can have difficulty seeing results unless a larger amount of product is used or a concurrent lift is performed.  Talk with your surgeon about options to address your dissatisfaction.

Hi 5565.  It's difficult to say what's going on without looking at the before and after pictures.  It's likely that if you did this many areas and only had 1 syringe that you might need more.  

An experienced injector would tell you if they were being conservative with the product so as to set the excpectation that you might need more.  Return to your injector with your concerns and take a peek at the photos.  That's a good starting point for the discussion and we always schedule our first time injection patients for a 2 week checup to make sure the results are inline with the expectations.

It might be helpful for you to see your doctor again and review and photographs if available from before your treatment. You might just need some more but you should hold a mirror to look immediately before the injections and then again after to see the difference while the doctor is there for you to discuss the result. Often we try to obtain subtle result, without people knowing that you had your face filled out. You may note that other people might start to give you compliments on looking well-rested or healthy, or wondering if you just returned from a vacation, or even that you look less stressed. This might have been accomplished and you may only know this in the next several weeks.

Radiesse has given physicians and patients a new dimension in facial contouring by revolumizing the aging face through a minimally invasive approach. Radiesse injections are well-tolerated by patients. They have a low incidence of side effects and results in high patient satisfaction. The effectiveness of your Radiesse treatment depends on your physician’s ability to visualize the desired changes and to select and skillfully administer the best treatments alone or in combination.  Please remember that the experience and technique of the physician injecting these fillers is the most critical part of your achieving a beautiful, natural result.

 It looks like you should find a different, more experienced physician to inject you. If possible, look for someone who is on the medical education faculty for Radiesse. That way you will know they have lots of experience as they train other physicians how to inject.