| What is Radiesse? |
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Radiesse is
one of the newest of the non-surgical procedures used to enhance
facial features. It is called a soft-tissue filler because it is
used to "fill in" wrinkles, furrows and depressions in the face that
makes us look older.
It consists of tiny particles of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHa)
which naturally occurs in the body, making it safe and
non-allergenic. Allergy testing is, therefore, not necessary.
Radiesse is mainly used in dental, bone and vocal cord
reconstruction. Radiesse is not harmful to the body and can be
broken down by the body.
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Radiesse has the advantage of lasting longer than the currently
available soft-tissue fillers like Restylane and Hylaform.
For a very limited time, Dr. Romero is pleased to offer Radiesse to
his patients at one-half the usual cost. Most plastic surgeons
charge an average of $1200 per 1.3 ml-syringe. For a very limited
time, Dr. Romero charges only $700 for each syringe and $600 for
each additional syringe. Due to a special bulk purchase, Radiesse is on sale for the month of
February 2009 for $500 and the second syringe at $400.
Click here
to see the average cost of cosmetic procedures nationwide. Scroll
down to Soft-tissue fillers and compare the Restylane or Hylaform
and Radiesse. Please note, also, the average charge of plastic
surgeons for Radiesse. |
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| What makes Radiesse different
from other fillers? |
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The distinctive
feature of Radiesse is that it provides both immediate correction
along with longer lasting duration. Whereas other fillers, like
Restylane and Hylaform may last up to 6 months, Radiesse may last up
to 2 years, possibly longer. The aqueous gel delivers the immediate
correction while the calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHa) creates a
matrix for collagen production allowing for longer lasting results. |
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| Is Radiesse safe? |
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The material is
identical in composition to the mineral portion of teeth and bone,
thus it is inherently safe. The material has been used for other
medical applications such as reconstructive surgey, ear-nose-throat
(ENT) surgery, maxillofacial surgery, dentistry and urology. |
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Radiesse is a simple
procedure. With input from the patient, Dr. Romero will mark areas
to be treated. Using local anesthesia, he will then inject Radiesse,
being careful not to overfill the area and leave an unnatural look. |
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| Are there any side-effects? |
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Normal side effects are swelling for the
first 2 days. Since calcium hydroxylapatite is a normal component of
bone (a substance already familiar to the body) and does not contain
any animal products there is no allergy test required before
treatment. In rare cases a patient may experience tiny calcium
deposits that may rise to the surface of the skin and appear like
small white bumps. If this occurs the deposits can easily be excised
and removed. The longest term studies with this product have been
done in Italy. Test results from Italy suggest that Radiesse shows
promise as a new agent for facial contouring with no serious side
effects and reasonable efficacy and durability.
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| Where can Radiesse be used? |
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Radiesse is most commonly used
to fill the nasolabial folds that make us look much older. |
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| How
painful is the procedure? |
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An
numbing cream with three active ingredients (benzocaine, lidocaine
and tetracaine) is applied for about 30 minutes. In addition, an ice
pack may also be applied just before the procedure. Lidocaine can
also be injected into the area and if necessary, a lidocaine block
inside the upper lip can be used for better pain control. Tylenol
can greatly reduce the discomfort. |
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| What
can I expect after the procedure? |
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Many
of our patients go back to work after the procedure. It is best to
rest, though, if possible. You may have mild swelling and bruising
for up to three days. When you go to bed, sleep with a 30-degree
angle and avoid sleeping on one side to avoid disturbing the
placement of the filler. You may take Tylenol for pain but not
aspirin or ibuprofen which may increase bruising. |
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