Radiesse™ - Related FAQ's

Q: Does Radiesse form permanent lumps?

A: No. Radiesse may form temporary lumps if the technique is less than perfect, and the lumps may stay for several months, but this is uncommon to see.

Q: I want to have fillers injected in my cheeks because I am so sunken in appearance. Should I do it on a Friday to minimize bruising for Monday at work?

A: Fillers very rarely bruise, but they can! If you have an important social or work function then rather have the injections afterward. Arnica Montana may be taken by mouth to reduce swelling and bruising.

Q: I had no long lasting effect from Radiesse on the cheeks despite several attempts. It seems only to last three months. What can I do?

A: You can try a second opinion to see if the technique needs to be different or if the filler should be changed to; Juvederm UltraPlus, Perlane, or Fat Injections or even Sculptra injections.

Q: I need a lot of filler for my cheeks and my doctor recommended Radiesse. I am concerned because I read on line of a complication from an injection. A lump was present and couldn't be reduced and the patient had to wait for time so that the Radiesse would dissolve on its own. Should I not have the procedure with my doctor?

A: Radiesse is done very very frequently. Its safety is excellent. There are technique issues. Slow delivery, small amounts per pass, evaluating the area postoperatively and feeling for smoothness. If however there is a lump, which can happen with ALL fillers, some fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm can be injected with hyaluroindase to dissolve the filler, but there is no dissolver of Radiesse. Some doctors try to inject corticosteroid in Radiesse lumps or saline to break it apart, or excise it but this can leave a scar. Lumps that are visible are very rare from Radiesse in experienced hands. They may be felt by you when touching your face or if pushing your tongue against your cheeks or smile creases and at the same time feeling with a hand from the skin surface but if it is not visible, most patients do not desire to remove those.

Fillers have been reported extremely rarely to cause obstruction of blood flow in certain regions such as between the eyebrows and the corner of the nose, and cases of skin necrosis have occurred leaving long term coloration or textural changes of the skin. Some of these incidents, have been aborted when Restylane and Juvederm have been injected and hyaluronidase is then injected to dissolve the filler immediately. See an experienced injector who will reassure you but inform you of all risks and discuss their probabilities. If you're concerned initially with having Radiesse, you could ask your doctor to try Perlane or Juvederm Ultraplus which are thicker and meant for deeper tissues than Restylane or Juvederm. If you like the result, then later, when these dissolve a year later, or so, you can try Radiesse. If there is a problem such as a visible lump with the Perlane or Juvederm Ultraplus, you could have it dissolved with hyaluronidase.

Related FAQ's

Back to Radiesse Home Page