Radiesse or artefill for smile lines?

Radiesse and Artefill can both be used to improve smile lines.  Radiesse would give you a fairly immediate improvement but the effect would last less than a year.  Artefill would require several treatment sessions to gradually improve the area and the results would be long term.  

Both radiesse and artefill do good in the NL grooves. Radiesse lasts about 1 yr and costs about $650/ syringe. Most patients need 2 syringes which are larger syringes. Artefill lasts about 4-5 yrs and costs $1000/syringe and usually needs 4 syringes injected over a 3 month period. Sincerely, David Hansen,MD

It is important to understand that the aging process is dynamic, and that the concept of a "permanent" filler will not stop the normal process that occurs with time. Radiesse and Artefill both have the advantage of greater longevity than a filler like Juvederm or Restylane.  However, Artefill contains polymethylmethacrylate, a substance otherwise known as "super glue", while Radiesse contains calcium hydroxylapatite, found naturally in our bone structure.  There are reasons that Artefill, previously know in Europe and Canada as Artecoll took so long to achieve FDA approval in this country.  In certain circumstances, Artefill can provide great benefit, but the results, longevity, and composition of Radiesse make it an easy choice when considering longer lasting fillers.

Artefill has gotten a bad rap that is unwarranted. Radiesse will only give you a few months longer than Juvederm. I waited to jump on board with Artefill and now I'm a believer.  You must go to a very experienced injector for Artefill.  Most of the issues were with Artecol or with poor technique. Sterility needs to be adhered to. Cannulas are also very helpful. 

Most injectors lean away from permanent fillers. While complications are rare with the newer formulation of Artefill, they still occur, and can be catastrophic due to the permanent nature of the filler. In addition, we just don't know what the product will look like in 20 years.  If you're looking for more long term results, a combination approach may be safer. Combining energy based devices (lasers, radio frequency, ultrasound, etc) with fillers (radiesse, hyaluronic acid) and toxins can improve your overall skin quality and your smile lines for a longer period of time. Depending on the severity of smile lines, combining fillers with a face lift is another option that is more permanent. 

Artefill, now called Bellafill, is FDA approved for smile
lines as is Radiesse. They both give wonderful
results and can take years off you if deep smiles lines are making you look sad
and old.

The big difference is the longevity of Bellafill or
Artefill. Radiesse lasts up to 24 months
but Bellafill is essentially permanent.
The formal durability or longevity studies on Bellafill are now out over
5 years and the product is still going strong.

You can get a great
result from Bellafill when it is in the right hands but you should be aware of
the risk. I have added a video that may help you.

I hope that helps.

Best regards.

If you are considering a longer lasting correction of the smile lines (nasolabial fold), you may want to consider fat transfer or fat stem cell with fat transfer. Artefill belongs under the permanent class of fillers though there may be some volume loss on initial injection, Radiesse on the other hand have a longer life span than Hyaluronic Acid based filler (e.g. Juvederm), but will definitely not last for more than 2 years. With the proper technique of fat transfer / fat stem cell injection, the result may last for more than 2 years with very little change due to the natural aging process. To minimize pain during the procedure, a small dose of local anesthetic can be used without significantly affecting the supposed injecting volume of the filler.