Radiesse vs Juvederm

Dr. Irwin
August 5, 2009
hi dr. irwin, i'm 38 years old and i've been adviced by this nurse in the skin clinic i go to that i may consider getting radiesse for my nasolabial folds. they'r pretty mild, but they're noticeable especially when i'm not really smiling (know what i mean?). how is radiesse given? how will my face look after the treatment? will i be able to go back to work right away? how does radiesse differ from juvederm? what are it's side effects? do you use radiesse with your patients? are they satisfied with the results? thanks, tori

Tori – 

 Good questions.  I am not a fan of Radiesse because the higher molecular weight (translate into thicker) Juvederm Ultra Plus and Perlane (Restylane’s version) are safer and, in most people, last just as long despite the Radiesse marketing.  Also, to my eye, the Radiesse can sometimes look unnaturally stiff when the face is moving.  Having said that though, there are some great cosmetic dermatologists out there who use it and love it.

Radiesse is a completely different substance than Juvederm and Restylane which are just gel forms of hyaluronic acid which has been cross linked.  It’s closer to cartilage and is calcium hydroxyapetite.

Any time you have a needle put in your skin there is a risk of bruising and bruising can rarely last even up to 2 weeks. So, it depends on your job. With Juvederm and Restylane, my patients go right back to their activities but there is an occasional annoying, persistent bruise. Remember no aspirin or NSAIDs for 1 week before. 

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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