How Long Should 3 Syringes of Radiesse Last?

Question

I had 3 syringes of Radiesse injected into my cheeks, undereyes, nasolabial folds and marionette lines on August 26, 2008.  At first, I loved it.  Within a few days it flattened. Now it's completely gone. According to the Radiesse website, the marionette line should stay full for 14 months.  What happened?

David Hansen, MD · Answer

3 syringes of Radiesse may cover the cheeks alone.  2 syringes covers the nasolabial grooves and 1 syringe covers the marionette grooves.  That is a rough estimate of the amount of radiesse needed in many patients.  It is time to go back and get the other syringes of radiesse done.   I know it is a lot and it is expensive but it should last about a year or more when you get enough put in,  otherwise you are just wasting your money by underfilling the areas.  I normally do it in 2 or more sessions anyway. A rough estimate of cost is $850/syringe.
If you liked the initial swelling after radiesse then you will like the end result when you finish the job by getting the other syringes of radiesse.

Steven H. Williams, MD · Answer

Radiesse should last up to about a year, but when you are treating the whole face, multiple syringes are needed in order to create a visible and lasting improvement. Dividing 3 syringes among all of those areas may have given you a modest improvement that was likely exaggerated initially with the post treatment swelling. After the initial swelling subsides, the results can look much less impressive due to the small amount that was used for filling multiple areas of the face. It can usually take 1-2 syringes for each one of those areas alone to achieve a lasting result. I would go back to your injector and see if additional product is needed, which is likely the case. I would also avoid having Radiesse injected at the underage area as that area is very thin and lumps and bumps from Radiesse will likely be more visible.

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

Most patients with injectable fillers respond better with serial injections. A one and done serial loading on a day is not as effective in my opinion and can lead to untoward sequlae. Repeat injection preferably between 6 to 14 weeks will help maximize the effectiveness of your first treatment.

Mytien Goldberg, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for the question. Without seeing any photos, it's difficult to state specifics in regards to your case. However, I can tell you that while 3 syringes may seem like quite a lot, when treating deep lines, more may be needed. It sounds like the fullness you were initially experiencing was actually the swelling associated with injections. However, once the swelling resolved, the deep lines weren't quite as filled in as you were anticipating. If that's the case, then I'd suggest that you return to your doctor for a reevaluation. They may recommend a touch up and re-injection.

Robert S. Bader, MD, FAAD · Answer

Most will enjoy correction for 4 to 6 months and see lessened correction at that time. After that, partial correction can last 6 months or longer.

Benjamin Barankin, MD, FRCPC · Answer

Radiesse typically lasts 1 year or more. 3 syringes in you may not have been enough; it depends on your age and how fast your body metabolizes the filler. 
The other thing I sometimes see is patients who lose weight and then require more filler sooner since the face shows the weight loss more than anywhere else. The radiesse that you had is providing a support network for your face, but sounds like you require additional radiesse or other filler to complete the job.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Radiesse usually lasts about 12 months. By you stating that if flattened a few days after treatment, sound like the swelling subsided but you need more filler. Go back to your doctor and get some more if you are not completely satisfied.

Jordana S. Gilman, MD · Answer

3 syringes may sound like a lot, but it isn't that much when you are treating an entire face.  You may have needed 1 syringe or more on each cheek, a third syringe to do the marionettes, and a fourth for the nasolabial lines.
There is swelling initially which can make it look like you got more full than you really did.  After 2-3 weeks all of the swelling and bruising should be gone, and you can really see what you look like.  Radiesse usually does last 9-12 months.  However, the aging process continues and you are continuing to lose collagen during that time.
It is also possbile that for some reason you break down Radiesse much faster than normal.  I have had patients in whom Radiesse only lasts 2-3 months.  I don't know why, but it can happen.

Thomas Guillot, MD (retired) · Answer

Three syringes are an average amount for a face. After injection the face usually has some swelling for a few days then returns to the original injection volume. Some patients tend to have a loss of volume at 6 months and after another round of injections the Radiesse will stay for about a year or longer. Other times the patient just needs more filler in the early stages because the first three syringes under filled the areas.

How Long Should 3 Syringes of Radiesse Last?

Answers (9)

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