Category: Hand Filler

Hyperdilute Radiesse

Hyper-Dilute Radiesse, written by Calvin Lee, MD / Surgical Artistry
(209) 551-1888

What is Radiesse / Hyper-dilute Radiesse?

Radiesse is made of calcium hydroxyapatite, which you also normally have in your body.  Radiesse is a filler that has been around for many years.  We took the Radiesse and diluted it down so it’s not as thick.  We sometimes take one syringe of Radiesse and add sterile saline to turn it into 2 or 3 syringes.  This is the process of diluting it and sometimes we call it hyper-dilute Radiesse.

Why do hyper-dilute Radiesse?

The purpose is to stimulate the growth of collagen and have the skin improve in texture, thickness and tightness.  Subtle wrinkles can improve as can skin texture including.  The skin can tighten a bit too.  Hyper-dilute Radiesse works great for temples (side of forehead), lower cheek, neck, chest, buttocks, knees, arms – basically anywhere skin could use some improvement with stimulated collagen.

How often to do hyper-dilute Radiesse?

Growth phase: Consider 2-4 times the first year (spaced 2-4 months apart).
Maintenance phase: Consider 1 time a year.

How many syringes for each session?

Depends on the area.  For the lower cheeks – 1 syringe.  For the neck – 1 syringe.  For the chest – 1-2 syringes.  For the Buttocks – 2-10 syringes.  For the Arms –  1-2 syringes.

When can you see results?

Immediately you see some changes because Radiesse is a filler.  You will see some thickening of the area filled.  But the main results that I’m excited about takes about 2-3 months to see when the collagen starts to enhance.  In some patients it would be subtle and others more noticeable.  Collagen growth is dependent on one’s health, diet, stress level, and many other factors like smoking (smoking is bad for collagen growth / eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for collagen growth).  Patients have seen continued results of collagen growth even after 6 months and perhaps even after 9 months.

How long do the results last?

In general I think patients will want to repeat the procedure every year.  The collagen stimulated to grow is your own collagen which you could keep for many years – hard to say specifically how long.  But I recommend once a year for maintenance and perhaps even more if one wants to keep improving the area injected.

What to expect afterwards?

I use numbing medicine to help in the comfort of the procedure.  The numbing medicine can temporarily cause a lopsided smile for a few hours after the procedure.  Some patients have a bit of dull ache in the area injected for about 1 week.  Some patients get some swelling which can last 1-3 weeks after the procedure.  After a few days, the saline gets absorbed and the swelling goes down.  The saline is 50-75% of what we injected.  No pain medicine is needed afterwards, but one is welcome to take over the counter medications used for headaches if needed, or apply ice to the areas injected.

Where to get Hyperdilute Radiesse?

At my office: Calvin Lee, MD – Surgical Artistry with Dr. Tammy Wu plastic surgeon. 4754 Dale Road, Modesto, CA 95356. (209) 551-1888.

Hand Rejuvenation FAQ with RADIESSE

Patient Questions for Hand Rejuvenation

How is this procedure performed?

I have been doing this procedure successfully with a blunt tipped micro-cannula.  Most patients are relaxed and having a conversation with me while I’m doing the procedure, and are pleasantly surprised when I’m done because it didn’t take as long or hurt as much as they expected.  The procedure is done in our procedure room at Surgical Artistry – the same room where we do most of our Botox injections.  Care is taken to make sure the procedure is safe and comfortable.  I make it a priority to use the Radiesse filler efficiently with no wasted product.  Radiesse is carefully injected into the back of the hands to plump up that area to restore a youthful fullness to that area.

Is it painful?

Most of our patients say that this procedure isn’t very painful.  We do use a numbing injection and mix numbing medicine into the filler syringe of Radiesse.  I can usually do the procedure with one entry site – much like laparoscopic surgery.

How does it work?

Radiesse is a filler that is able to plump up the skin and subcutaneous space on the back of the hands and as an added bonus – promote collagen production.  Thinning of the back of the hands reveals veins and edges of bones which can be a sign of aging.  By thickening this area, the veins and bony appearance lessons as does the signs of aging.

How much does it cost?

There is a special going on at Surgical Artistry at the moment which is $1000 for two syringes of Radiesse, specifically reserved for the back of the hands.  This is a significant discount.  We normally charge $750 for a syringe of Volume Advantage Radiesse.  This is the large sized Radisse syringe.  There exists a smaller syringe, but we don’t carry that syringe currently at Surgical Artistry.

How soon will I see results, and how long will they last?

You will see the results right away.  At first there may be some mild swelling, but after about 7-10 days the slight swelling resolves.

Will I need the same amount of filler the next time I get this procedure after the first round has worn off?

In my opinion, most patients will need the same amount of filler the next time.  But because there is the possibility of collagen growth, it is entirely possible to get the same results with fewer syringes.  I believe that most patients need 2 syringes, and some need three.

What are the side effects?

The side effects are minimal and mostly related to bruising, mild swelling, mild redness, and some mild dull ache for about a day or two afterwards.  The active ingredients of Radiesse are naturally occurring substances in the body. Thus, the risk of allergic reaction is very small.

Who is this treatment for?

This treatment is for patients who are concerned about the thinning of the back of their hands due to aging.

Is there anyone who should not get this treatment?

I wouldn’t recommend this procedure in patients who have an active infection on the back of their hands.  I also wouldn’t recommend filler procedures on patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.  Furthermore, I wouldn’t recommend this procedure on patients whom I feel are not appropriate candidates due to extremely thin skin or patients who don’t seem to need the procedure based on my assessment.

What filler is used for this procedure and what is it made of?

Radiesse is the filler I like to use for this procedure.  The active ingredient is calcium hydroxylapatite which is a naturally occuring substance in our body

What is the recovery like?

Most patients go back to normal activities.  But there is most likely some mild dull ache for the next day or two after the procedure.  There is numbing medicine which I add to the syringe which can last up to 4 hours of numbness after injection.

Is there swelling after treatment and if so, how long does the swelling last?

Yes, there is some swelling after the procedure.  For most patients it is for about 1-2 days.  But I have heard up to a week for some patients as well.  But the swelling is mild and just about all the patients go right back to work.

If I work with my hands, will I still be able to immediately after treatment?

For many things, such as typing, it is possible to go back to work immediately after treatment.  But the numbing medicine might slow you down for the next 4 hours or feel a bit awkward.  Furthermore, many report a very slight dull ache, which might affect performance a bit when it comes to lifting or working out, but most patients go right back to work after the procedure.  In general, most patients consider this procedure a “lunch time” procedure where they take an hour off of work and then return immediately.

 

 

Questions written and thought up by Hannah, and answers written by Calvin Lee, MD, Botox Surgeon at Surgical Artistry.