Brand name: Radiesse (previously called Radiance)
Major risks: No risk of allergic reaction. Otherwise, it has the same risk of any dermal injection, though it can have a hard feel under skin, and may look lumpy or uneven under the skin.
Stability: Can last up to 18 months
Radiesse was FDA approved in December 2006 for the correction of facial wrinkles and folds and for the correction of HIV-associated facial atrophy. This dermal filler is composed of 30% calcium hydroxylapatite, which is a natural substance, and 70% of a carrier gel. Calcium hydroxylapatite has safely been used in the body for many applications, including dental surgery where bone replacement is needed, and it can be used in facial implants. When injected in soft tissue, away from bone, it stimulates fibroblasts to build what is reportedly a non-scar-tissue collagen type, thus creating volume in the treatment area.
Calcium hydroxylapatite may induce the production of new collagen, although further research is needed. No skin test is required prior to treatment, and the product is stored at room temperature.
(Sources: Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2008, volume 3, issue 1, pages 161-174; Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, September 2008, pages 841-845; and Dermatologic Surgery, June 2008, pages S53-S55.)