Radiesse® is unlike most dermal fillers on the market today. Rather than relying on hyaluronic acid to plump skin from the moment it’s injected, Radiesse® uses calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) — a substance naturally found in your bones — suspended in a smooth gel carrier. Once placed beneath the skin, those microspheres act as a scaffold that signals your body to produce its own new collagen.
The result is a two-part outcome: you see an immediate lift and smoothing from the gel itself, followed by a gradual improvement in firmness and texture over the following months as fresh collagen develops. Radiesse® is FDA-approved, well-studied, and known for results that often last a year or longer.
Schedule a free consultation with our team to find out whether Radiesse® is the right fit for your goals.
Radiesse® is a remarkably versatile filler. It’s used to restore lost facial volume, refine contours, and rejuvenate aging hands — and in a more diluted form, it can tighten and smooth crepey skin across larger areas of the body.
Radiesse® is injected beneath the skin in fine lines, often using fanning or cross-hatching techniques to spread the product evenly through the target layer. In some cases, your provider will gently massage the area afterward to ensure smooth distribution.
The treatment can be customized based on what you’re trying to achieve. For volume restoration in areas like the cheeks or chin, a more concentrated formulation is used. For skin tightening on the neck, chest, or body, Radiesse® is diluted with sterile saline and lidocaine — sometimes at ratios of 1:4 or higher — so it can be spread thinly across larger surfaces to encourage diffuse collagen growth.
You’ll typically see initial improvement right away from the gel base. The real magic happens over the following three to six months, as your body lays down new collagen fibers around the calcium microspheres. Most patients reach their best results around the three-month mark, with continued refinement after that.
Recovery from Radiesse® is generally quick and uneventful:
We recommend avoiding strenuous exercise, alcohol, and NSAIDs like ibuprofen for the first 24 hours to minimize swelling and bruising. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is fine if you need something for discomfort.
The injections themselves are very tolerable. Radiesse® is mixed with lidocaine, a numbing agent similar to what your dentist uses. Most patients describe the procedure as easy and comfortable. You may feel mild pressure during injection and a numb sensation for an hour or so afterward.
Results have been shown to last at least one year, and many patients enjoy benefits for 18 to 24 months. Because Radiesse® stimulates your own collagen, the improvement tends to fade gradually rather than disappear all at once.
You’ll see an immediate change from the gel base right after treatment. Over the next week, any swelling settles and the result becomes more refined. The collagen-building effect develops gradually over three to six months, so your skin continues to improve well after the appointment.
Most patients seeking volume restoration — for the cheeks, jawline, hands, or a liquid facelift — see excellent results from a single session. For skin tightening on the neck, chest, or body, mild laxity may respond to one treatment, while more pronounced looseness often benefits from a series of two or three sessions spaced a few weeks apart. We typically schedule a follow-up around the three-month mark to evaluate your progress.
No. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvéderm, Restylane), Radiesse® cannot be reversed with an enzyme. The gel base breaks down naturally over a few weeks, and the calcium microspheres gradually metabolize over 12 to 15 months. This is why choosing an experienced injector matters — precise placement is essential.
Radiesse® isn’t recommended for people with:
Radiesse® Plus is simply Radiesse® that comes pre-mixed with lidocaine from the manufacturer. When we use standard Radiesse®, we add lidocaine ourselves, so the experience is essentially identical. The only patients who need to know the difference are those with a lidocaine allergy.
Absolutely. Radiesse® pairs well with neurotoxins like Botox® or Dysport® for a complete liquid facelift, and it complements energy-based skin tightening treatments such as Ultherapy or Morpheus8. Your provider will recommend the best combination for your goals during your consultation.
Schedule your free cosmetic consultation today and find out if Radiesse® is the right treatment for restoring volume, tightening skin, or refining your contours.
Contact Back to 30® online or call us today at (864) 372-3003 and schedule a cosmetic consultation.