Radiesse®

What is Radiesse® made of and how does it work?

Radiesse is made of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in a water-based gel. Calcium hydroxylapatite is a mineral your body already produces, which is one reason the material sits so quietly in tissue. The lift you see on day one comes from the gel. Over the next few weeks, that gel absorbs, and the microspheres left behind act as a scaffold your fibroblasts build new collagen and elastin around. By about three months, the collagen is carrying the result. That two-stage behavior is why Radiesse gets called a biostimulator instead of a filler.

What areas can Radiesse® treat?

Radiesse works across the lower and middle face, plus two areas on the body:

• Jawline definition and contour
• Cheeks and midface
• Nasolabial folds, or smile lines
• Marionette lines at the corners of the mouth
• Chin projection
• Temples
• Backs of the hands
• Décolleté, when diluted

How does diluted Radiesse® work on the chest/décolleté?

Diluted Radiesse is standard Radiesse mixed with saline so it spreads in a thin sheet rather than sitting in one place. You trade the instant lift for skin quality: firmer texture, less crepiness and better tone across a wide area. In April 2026, the FDA approved diluted Radiesse for wrinkles across the décolleté in patients 22 and older, making it the first regenerative biostimulator cleared in the United States for the face and the body. If you have looked down at the crepey lines on your chest after a New Jersey summer, that opens a door that used to belong to lasers alone.  One practical note: the microspheres show up on X-rays and CT scans, so tell any radiologist you have had Radiesse. Merz's décolleté study found no interference with mammograms or breast ultrasound, though your imaging team should still know. Radiesse for the décolleté area pairs well with our Tech Neck Signature Combo Treatment and with microneedling.

Can Radiesse® be used in the lips?

No, and be cautious of anyone offering it. Merz Aesthetics, the manufacturer of Radiesse, has not established the safety or effectiveness of Radiesse in the lips or the area around the eyes, and the product's firmness makes those the wrong places for it. For lip enhancement, we use hyaluronic acid, which stays soft, moves with your expressions and can be dissolved.

Am I a good candidate for Radiesse®?

Radiesse suits adults in good general health who want some visible structure now and gradual results over the following months. Jawline treatment with Radiesse (+) is indicated for adults over 21, and the décolleté indication begins at 22. It is not appropriate if you have a bleeding disorder, a history of severe allergic reactions, an active infection at the treatment site or an allergy to lidocaine in the case of Radiesse (+). The safety of Radiesse during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. If your facial volume changed after significant weight loss, mention it to your provider, as we often coordinate with our medical weight loss program.

How should I prepare for Radiesse® injections?

A little planning smooths the whole experience:

• Book at least two weeks ahead of any event you care about
• With your prescriber's approval, pause fish oil, vitamin E, anti-inflammatories and blood thinners for several days
• Skip alcohol for 24 hours beforehand
• Arrive with clean skin and no makeup on the treatment area
• Eat something first, since injectable appointments go better when you are not hungry

What happens during a Radiesse® appointment at Eminence?

Plan on spending 30 to 45 minutes at your visit. Your injector reviews your goals, photographs the area and marks your anatomy while you are sitting upright, because a jawline looks different when you are lying down. After cleansing and topical numbing, Radiesse goes in through either a fine needle or a blunt-tipped cannula, depending on the area. You will be asked to sit up and animate partway through so the result gets checked in motion. 

Does Radiesse® hurt, and is there downtime?

Most Radiesse patients describe pressure and brief stinging rather than pain. Radiesse (+) contains lidocaine to help reduce any discomfort. Expect swelling, tenderness and possible bruising for one to three days. Skip strenuous exercise, saunas and extended sun for about 24 hours or until any redness settles. Hands can feel a little stiff for a day or two. Most patients return to work the same afternoon.

How long do Radiesse® results last?

Many patients see facial results for up to two years, which outlasts most hyaluronic acid fillers. Longevity depends on placement and movement. Jawline and cheek work holds well, while areas in constant motion turn over faster. On the hands, most patients keep their results for about a year. Because collagen production continues after the product itself is gone, much of the improvement outlives the material that started it.

How much does Radiesse® cost in Princeton, NJ?

The cost of Radiesse depends on how many syringes your plan calls for and whether you are treating one area or several, which is why we do not publish a flat price. Your consultation is always free, and our value-based pricing applies when you treat with one syringe or more. Membership pricing and financing are also available. You will have a clear written quote before anything gets scheduled.

What is the difference between Radiesse® and hyaluronic acid fillers?

Radiesse is calcium-based, while JUVÉDERM, Restylane and the RHA collection are hyaluronic acid. Three practical differences follow. Hyaluronic acid gels attract water, so they look slightly fuller at first and can be dissolved on demand. Radiesse is thicker and holds a sharper edge, which makes it well-suited for building a jawline or lifting a flat midface. And a hyaluronic acid filler stops working once it is gone, while Radiesse leaves collagen behind. We carry all of these, so there is no product we are quietly steering you toward.

How is Radiesse® different from Sculptra®?

Both stimulate collagen, and this is the comparison worth understanding before you choose. Sculptra is poly-L-lactic acid and gives you almost no volume on treatment day; the result appears gradually across three to six months and usually takes two to three sessions. Radiesse lifts immediately and then adds collagen on top of that lift, often in a single visit. Sculptra tends to be the better answer for broad, diffuse hollowing across the whole face. Radiesse tends to win where you want a defined line. Plenty of our patients eventually use both.

Can Radiesse® be dissolved?

Not the way hyaluronic acid can. No enzyme reverses calcium hydroxylapatite, so Radiesse cannot be undone in an afternoon the way an HA filler can with hyaluronidase. It does break down on its own over 12 to 18 months, and small irregularities can usually be managed with massage or, if needed, a dilute steroid injection. We raise this at every Radiesse consultation, because it is a genuine trade-off. If reversibility matters to you, we will point you toward a hyaluronic acid filler first.