What Happens to Radiesse over the Long Haul?

Radiesse's duration depends on the location of injection with areas of high mobility (nasolabial folds) lasting significantly less than immobile areas (cheeks).  Radiesse is a stimulatory filler which is replaced and turned into collagen over time.

Hi jf.  Generally speaking we tell our patients that Radiesse is going to last in the neighborhood of 9-12 months.  We like to err on the side of a conservative estimate.  Better to tell a patient it will last 9 months and have it last 12-15 than vice versa. 

As for what happens to the product, it is slowly absorbed and dissipated by the body over that time.

When Radiesse first came to the market the company was making claims of it lasting for much longer than it actually has proven to last. Clincially we see that many patients have Radiesse last close to a year, or slightly more, but we also see that with Restylane and Juvederm too. The best clinical effect though, dissipates sooner and further injections are often done closer to eight months rather than waiting for it to wear off completely.

Hi Jf,

I respectfully defer to Dr. Altman.  Thank you for one of the most complete and well written answers that I have seen here on RealSelf.  Thanks for the education.  Be well.

Dr. P

The volume effect of Radiesse lasts for 12-15 months as per the latest study results. For the first "half" of this effect the Radiesse is being gradually replaced by fibrous collagen tissue. When the Radiesse and the fibrous tiissue absorb,  the volume is back to the "before" volumes, and probably a bit less as there are  further losses from continued aging.

Typical results of Radiesse last 6 months to a year.  In areas of less motion, the results may be longer.

Radiesse is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite suspended in a gel. The product does completely dissipate. The gel is absorbed over time, while the CaHa crystals act as a scaffold for fibroblasts to deposit new collagen.

Eventually CaHa is broken down into calcium and phosphate ions which are absorbed by the body.
 

Some of the longer-lasting improvement is due to the deposition of new collagen around the CaHa crystals.

As far as recommended timing of injections, that has to be judged by you and your physician.  If the areas that you had injected look full and youthful after a year, there is no need for repeat injections until you see a need for them.  It is a good idea to have the injections done before all of the Radiesse effect is gone, as you want to maintain the collagen deposition in the dermis.  How long that will take is very much dependent on the individual.

As Radiesse a "stimulatory" filler, during the first 3 months after injection it will transition as it stimulates production of your own collagen. I let my patients know to tell me if they prefer the initial fuller look and to return in approximately 3 months for "touch up" injections, if desired. The length of time the results will last will vary greatly from patient to patient. I tell my patients that they should expect at least a year of nice improvement and then experience gradual fading. Of course I let them know that for some it seems shorter than one year and others longer. The beauty of Radiesse is that you can decide as you go if more is better and address specific areas that bother you in particular. Then, over time, as the results from Radiesse fade you can always have additional injections as indicated.