When we think of the effects of time, we tend to focus on the face. Concerns like lines, wrinkles, and age spots garner our undivided attention as we strive to improve them. Yet the hands are subject to the same effects, although we often neglect them in a way that undermines our efforts to retain youth. That’s why at Burt and Will Plastic Surgery and Dermatology in Plainfield, Burr Ridge, and Morris, IL, we recommend Radiesse for hand rejuvenation.
Key Benefits of Radiesse
Once collagen production slows, as it does naturally with age, your skin changes – not just on your face, but everywhere. Other essential proteins, including elastin and hyaluronic acid (HA), also break down as collagen becomes less plentiful. And because you don’t have much fat in your hands, they can look veiny and wrinkly fairly quickly.
Radiesse is innovative in terms of injectable dermal fillers because it can be used on the face and hands. It’s made with microspheres of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA), resulting in a silky gel that instantly adds volume once injected. If this sounds unconventional for the hands, consider that it can:
- Improve hydration so hands look softer
- Reduce the appearance of veins and tendons
- Erase wrinkles
- Subtly plump skin to provide a more youthful appearance
- Deliver smooth, natural results
Prompts Collagen Production
Another distinction with this filler is its ability to trigger collagen production. This protein, as we mentioned earlier, is critical; it’s one of the main components of the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM) and provides skin with its firm, flexible strength. As levels wane over time, the ECM is left with, essentially, holes that give way to wrinkles and fine lines on the skin’s surface.
Your hands likewise look dull and lax because they’re missing collagen. But after Radiesse injections, your body slowly metabolizes the CaHa microspheres in a way that encourages collagen growth. Once the microspheres are gone, long-lasting results are made possible by the continued presence of collagen. This means you’ll see increased benefits over time, including firmer, tighter skin that is both softer and more hydrated.
Increases Elastin and Hyaluronic Acid
You might have noticed that a few moments ago, we mentioned elastin and HA. Elastin, another protein, is collagen’s sidekick within the ECM. It’s responsible for giving skin the elastic nature that allows it to bounce back after being pushed, pulled, and stretched. Its levels rise and drop in tandem with collagen; increasing this protein improves skin laxity and restores a more natural shape.
HA, which we’re sure you’ve heard of in cosmetic treatments, serves as the skin’s natural moisturizer. It’s located throughout the body and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. Ramping up HA delivers a smooth sheen to skin born of hydration. This means your hands will look fresher and healthier – and feel better, too.
Long-Lasting Results
You’ll notice the effects of this treatment almost immediately, as the CaHA molecules instantly lift skin to hide bulging veins and folds. But it is the increase in collagen that delivers the long-lasting results Radiesse is heralded for. Many patients enjoy the effects of treatment for two years, at which point maintenance sessions can keep your hands looking rejuvenated.
Perfect for Many Patients
When you think for a moment about everything you subject your hands to – harmful UV rays, harsh soaps, cleaning agents, repetitive movements, and the environment at large – it’s no wonder they’re subject to such degradation. But damaged tissues aren’t limited to older patients. This treatment is suitable for patients as young as 35 who want to plump their skin and fill in wrinkles.
Don’t Give Away Your Age
According to a study published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (APS), your hands are more likely than your face to give away your age. This is especially true in patients who have aesthetic treatments to smooth away wrinkles, firm their cheeks, and lift their brows but don’t pay attention to their hands. Although lotions can temporarily deliver moisture, they don’t address the deeper, underlying problems that contribute to aging.
In the APS study, participants were asked to review unaltered photographs of female hands and then guess each woman’s age within 10 years. In most cases, participants made accurate estimations. The traits that most often gave away age were prominent veins.
Altered Photos
It’s worth noting the second aspect of this study, which involved altering some of the photos so veins were less visible. This skewed the participants’ answers so they were no longer able to accurately guess the women’s ages. It also proved the hands reveal more than we likely want them to, especially when we’re trying to retain more youthful appearances.
Natural-Looking Results
If you’re worried your hands will look over-filled or somehow unnatural, we’re happy to say this is a largely unfounded myth associated with fillers. Radiesse has a malleable consistency that, once injected, can be easily molded into place. This eliminates the potential for lumps and bumps to deliver seamless results. Your hands will be equally plumped throughout so they look soft and smooth.
Because we understand the nature of the thin tissues here, we employ techniques to ensure your hands look as natural as possible. The goal is to simply restore what time has taken away, not alter your appearance or make dramatic changes.
Quick and Pain-Free Injections
Dermal fillers are known for their quick applications, and Radiesse is no different. Your treatment will only last about 15 minutes, after which you can leave our office and resume your normal activities. We’ll likely recommend you minimize strenuous activity and limit your exposure to sun and heat for about 24 hours. Any other guidelines we feel are suited to your needs will be provided on the day of your session.
This treatment feels much like a normal shot you would receive at the doctor’s office. But we typically make multiple injections, and to ensure your comfort, we’ll apply a specially-formulated topical numbing agent as well as ice (if necessary) before proceeding. This will reduce any sensation of pain and also help alleviate treatment anxiety.
A Multi-Faceted Treatment
As you might have guessed, Radiesse is designed for more than just your hands. This filler is also FDA-approved for use on the face, where it can be injected into the cheeks, lips, chin, and around the mouth. Common concerns we can treat include:
- Oral commissures (wrinkles at the corners of the mouth)
- Chin lines (horizontal wrinkles)
- Nasolabial folds (smile lines that run from the nose to the mouth corners)
- Pre-jowl folds (skin sags that happen on the sides of the chin)
- Marionette lines (folds that run down from the corners of the mouth)
This filler is so adept at doing double-duty because it contains calcium and phosphate ions in addition to CaHa microspheres. Both of these ions occur naturally within the body and mimic the structure of your connective tissues. And just as happens in the hands, collagen production is stimulated to deliver dewy, hydrated skin that reflects light, looks plumper, and skims facial bones in a smooth, taut way.
Comparing This Treatment to Juvederm
When injected under the skin’s surface, the microspheres of Radiesse form a scaffold held in place by the water-based gel. This, in turn, provides a platform upon which new collagen can grow. Such structure makes this injectable especially ideal for smoothing lines, wrinkles and deep creases. It is, in fact, one of the best injectables for eliminating wrinkles.
Juvederm, another popular filler, has a slightly thinner consistency with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid. Its formulation helps draw and hold moisture in a way that lifts and volumizes treatment sites. These traits help to plump thinning lips, erase fine lines around the eyes, and address small wrinkles around the mouth. Although the body eventually absorbs the included HA, the increased moisture content remains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many patients want to know why dermal fillers are used for hand rejuvenation. In short, we can say for the same reason we use these treatments on the face: to restore fullness to the skin. But on a deeper and more personal level, these injections complement your steps toward a more youthful aesthetic. We as a society have long tried to fight against aging, but never before has that battle been easier or more successful than now, largely because of fillers.
What Will Treatment Involve?
As mentioned earlier, this quick therapy gets you in and out of the office in no time. We’ll start by seating you in a comfortable position with your hands placed atop a flat surface. Once you’re relaxed and the numbing agent has taken effect, we’ll gently inject the filler into the back of your hand. We’ll then massage the gel into place to help spread and smooth it under your skin.
Is It Necessary to Rest After?
You may choose to rest some on the day of treatment and keep hand use to a minimum. Keep in mind, however, you’ll have only a few restrictions, so the decision to stay home and/or take it easy is entirely your own. We recommend you resume those activities that feel most comfortable and delay the others – as you continue to follow the guidelines we provide to you.
How Can I Get the Best Results?
Avoiding specific medications and supplements known to thin the blood, like fish oil and aspirin, will help you heal more effectively. Also deter from alcohol for a few days, as this similarly acts like a blood thinner within the body. And when you do go outside, wear sunscreen to protect your skin from additional degradation. The sun can interfere with collagen production in a more consequential manner than even time can.
Who Should Not Receive Treatment?
Thanks to its biodegradable formula and easy administration, Radiesse is considered a very safe treatment. Some patients, however, should consider alternative therapies. For example, we don’t recommend dermal fillers for those who have bleeding disorders or other serious health complications. Women who are nursing or pregnant should similarly delay treatment. We’ll use your consultation to determine if this therapy is right for you.
A Broad Approach to Your Youthful Appearance
Rather than focusing only on your face, we recommend this filler to rejuvenate the appearance of your hands as well. With carefully placed injections, we can reduce the appearance of veins, smooth wrinkles, and improve hydration so your hands look fresher and healthier. Schedule your consultation today by calling Burt and Will Plastic Surgery and Dermatology in Plainfield, Burr Ridge, and Morris, IL.