A problem with Radiesse around the eyes. A warning!

Dr. Irwin
May 16, 2013
I had Radiesse injected under my eyes about 1.5 years ago. I have hated every minute of it. My right eye has dissolved faster than the left eye and worry that the skin has permenantely been damaged. I have bags under my eyes that were not there prior to this nightmare. The right eye, as stated before, is more dissolved than the left eye therefore the bag is smaller. Any advice? Do I go to a doctor to get additional fillers to balance out the uneveness or leave it alone until it is completely dissolved?

I’m so sad that you’ve had to go through this. You probably know this already but, in my opinion, Radiesse has very, very limited specific uses and it shouldn’t be injected around the eye area or areas where there is a high risk of arterial occlusion (a plugged artery). 

 

The main reason, again in my opinion, is that it can’t be reversed or corrected if there’s a problem. Radiesse also clearly has a higher rate of more serious complications than hyaluronic based fillers like Restylane/Juvederm/Belotero.   

 

Your question is a good one, what to do now? Since it’s been 1.5 years, the Radiesse should be mostly gone by now. I would recommend that you take the time and energy (I know this is a pain) to research and find the 2-3 most expert people in your area and get several opinions. Learn more from our regional guide to excellent cosmetic dermatologists.

 

My experience with this type of problem is that it’s almost always fixable with some time, patience, and unfortunately money. However, it takes seeing several experts, listening carefully, researching some more before taking action. For example, two expert aesthetic dermatologists and a good plastic surgeon who specializes in the eye area (oculoplastics), would be a good place to start. Take your time!!

 

I hope this helps and good luck to you.  

 

Dr. B I

 

Read more about the filler Radiesse and its complications.  

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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