A popular injectable filler, Radiesse is commonly used to fill in lines and wrinkles on the face. It is best suited for moderate lines and wrinkles, particularly nasolabial folds--the lines between the nose and the corners of the mouth, also known as marionette lines. Before deciding to undergo treatment with Radiesse, it is important to learn about the procedure and what to expect, including sorting out myths and facts about this highly effective cosmetic product.
Radiesse does more than fill in wrinkles. Radiesse is highly effective as a dermal filler because its ingredients stimulate the body to produce more collagen. Rather than simply filling in wrinkles with a gel or with collagen derived from animal sources, Radiesse provides your body with the stimulus it needs to reproduce its own, natural connective tissues, filling in spaces beneath the skin where these tissues have begun to break down due to aging.
Myth: Radiesse Is Expensive
Fact: Radiesse is cost-effective. The cost of Radiesse is much less than traditional facelift surgery, which in the past has been the only way to manage extensive lines and wrinkles due to aging. If you only have a few spots to be treated, Radiesse provides highly targeted treatment for just those areas. The cost of the treatment is determined by the number of pre-filled syringes your doctor must use to achieve the desired results.
Myth: Radiesse Can Only be Used to Treat Lines and Wrinkles
Fact: Treating lines and wrinkles is the most common use for Radiesse, as well as many other dermal fillers. However, Radiesse is also very effective for treating areas where a loss of volume causes an aged appearance. This includes the pre-jowl area, where a hollowed look or loss of volume in the collagen just beneath the skin can create sagging in the lower cheek. The area near the corners of the mouth, known as the oral commissure, can also benefit from Radiesse to fill in this area if it has become hollowed out.
Myth: Radiesse Treatment Is Uncomfortable and Inconvenient
Fact: Treatment with Radiesse can be performed in a doctor's office without anesthesia, and takes a half-hour to an hour depending upon your specific goals and how many syringes of Radiesse must be used to achieve those goals. After a Radiesse treatment, you can continue about your normal, everyday activities. The actual injections can be uncomfortable, but this discomfort can be mitigated by a topical anesthetic. Also, Radiesse is also available in a form that contains a small amount of lidocaine. This form of Radiesse reduces the discomfort of individual injections.
Myth: Side Effects Are Common with Radiesse
Fact: Radiesse has very few side effects--in fact, no major side effects have been recorded among patients using this cosmetic filler. Redness, swelling and some bruising immediately after treatment are common, but disappear within a day or two. Allergic reactions and post-procedure infection are extremely rare.
Myth: Radiesse Treatment Doesn't Last Very Long
Fact: Radiesse is one of the longest-lasting dermal fillers on the market. Results from Radiesse treatment can last as long as a year before additional maintenance treatment is necessary.
