Injectables · 03 of 03
Radiesse
A calcium-based filler for support and collagen stimulation.
- Typical visit
- 30–60 min
- Downtime
- Plan for swelling or bruisingHow long this lasts varies by area and person.
- First results
- Immediately
- Lasts
- Varies by treatment area
- Treatment plan
- Treatment, then a reviewA review is not automatically another injection.
Typical estimates. Your clinician explains the timing, recovery and treatment plan for you.
In brief
What this treatment does.
Radiesse adds support with a calcium hydroxylapatite gel and stimulates collagen over time. Appropriate uses depend on the formulation and area. Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, it cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase.
- Jawline definition and contour
- Smile lines and deeper folds
- Volume loss in the hands
Before you decide
Suitability and important risks.
Accidental injection into a blood vessel can cause tissue injury, blindness or stroke. Seek immediate medical attention for unusual pain, white, gray or blue skin, changes in vision or stroke symptoms. Do not wait for an office callback.
Your health, medicines and previous treatments affect what is appropriate. Discuss benefits, risks and alternatives with the clinical team.
Who might consider it, and when to ask first
Often a good fit
- Adults 22 and older
- People who want immediate lift with gradual collagen support
- Anyone with jawline softening or volume loss in the hands
Discuss before booking
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, as safety has not been established
- A bleeding disorder, a history of severe allergies, or an allergy to lidocaine
- An active skin infection at the treatment site
- Blood thinners, or any other open question: ask your clinician before booking.
Visit & aftercare
Know what to expect.
The visit, step by step
Consultation
Your clinician examines your facial structure or hands and reviews your goals, allergies, bleeding history and any blood thinners.
Comfort
The area is cleansed and numbed. The lidocaine version, Radiesse (+), helps keep the injections comfortable.
Placement
Radiesse is placed at the depth that suits the area. You see the lift as it goes in, though part of that early volume is gel that your body clears over the next weeks.
Settling
Swelling, redness, bruising, pain and itching at the injection sites are the most common effects. They settle on their own, and how long they take varies from person to person.
Results and follow-up
Your follow-up is scheduled two weeks after your first filler appointment, so your clinician can check how it has settled and whether anything needs refining. Collagen builds over the following months, and repeat treatment is planned around how it holds.
Caring for your skin afterwards
- Limit strenuous exercise, sun and heat for about 24 hours, and until swelling or redness has settled.
- Do not press on or massage the treated area unless we ask you to.
- Keep your two-week follow-up so the result can be checked.
- Tell any imaging team that you have had Radiesse, because it shows on X-rays and CT scans.
- Seek immediate medical attention for unusual pain, white, gray or blue skin, or any change in vision. Do not wait for an office callback.
Areas and concerns to discuss
Jawline
Approved for Radiesse (+) in adults over 21, placed deep along the bone. Jaw function can change temporarily afterwards.
Smile lines
Moderate to severe folds such as the nasolabial folds, an approved area.
Backs of hands
Approved to restore volume where thinning skin shows veins and tendons.
Décolleté
Diluted with saline and approved for chest wrinkles in patients 22 and older, an approval from 2026.
Cheeks
Common in practice, but off-label: it is not an FDA-approved indication.
Not elsewhere
Safety and effectiveness have not been established for the lips or around the eyes, so we do not treat them with Radiesse.
How it works & evidence
The detail behind the treatment.
How it works, evidence and device labeling
Radiesse is made of tiny calcium hydroxylapatite particles, a mineral-like substance also found naturally in the body, suspended in a smooth gel. The gel gives lift and support at once, and over the following weeks the particles act as a scaffold that prompts your own skin to produce collagen. Your clinician decides where it goes and how much, starting from the structure of your face.
Radiesse, made by Merz, is FDA-approved as an injectable dermal filler. It is approved for subdermal implantation to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds, in adults 22 and older, and to restore volume to the back of the hands. The version containing lidocaine, Radiesse (+), is also approved for deep injection to improve moderate to severe loss of jawline contour in adults over 21, an approval the FDA granted in September 2021. Radiesse diluted with saline is approved for wrinkles in the décolleté in patients 22 and older, and cheek or midface use is common practice but not an FDA-approved indication.
The lift is visible straight away, and the collagen response builds gradually. Results vary, and the manufacturer reports results lasting up to two years. A follow-up visit is scheduled two weeks after your first filler appointment to check how it has settled.
Device clearance and approval apply to particular products and uses. Ask which device or formulation will be used for your treatment.
- Radiesse FAQs: indications, composition, duration, side effects (Merz)
- Merz launches Radiesse (+) for jawline contour (FDA approval September 2021)
- FDA PMA P050052/S129: Radiesse (+) jawline contour (September 1, 2021)
- FDA PMA P050052/S162: Radiesse for décolleté wrinkles (March 31, 2026)
- The role of calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) as a regenerative aesthetic treatment (PMC review)
- FDA: Dermal fillers — risks and when to seek immediate care
Questions
Your questions about Radiesse.
How is Radiesse different from RHA?
RHA is hyaluronic acid, which adds volume directly and can be dissolved with an enzyme if needed. Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite, which lifts at once and then prompts your skin to build collagen, and that enzyme does not dissolve it. Which suits you depends on the area and the result you want.
Does it hurt?
Most people feel pressure and brief stinging. Numbing and the lidocaine in the Radiesse (+) formulation help keep it comfortable.
How long does Radiesse last?
Varies by treatment area Your clinician will discuss the expected duration for your chosen product and area.
Why is there a follow-up at two weeks?
By then early swelling has typically eased, so it is a fair moment to judge the first result. The visit is required after a first filler appointment, and your clinician uses it to check placement and decide whether any refinement is needed.
Will it show on an X-ray or scan?
Yes. The calcium particles are radiopaque and can be seen on X-rays and CT scans, so tell any imaging team that you have had Radiesse.
What should I expect with hand treatment?
Radiesse is FDA-approved to restore volume to the back of the hands. Lumps or bumps can occur, and the manufacturer notes they may last up to a year, so tell us if you notice any.
General treatment information. Your clinician explains the choices appropriate for you.
Explore
Other treatments.
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Ask about Radiesse.
A consultation is a conversation about what you would like to change, and what you would like to keep. Nothing is scheduled until you choose to.
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