Collagen stimulators: Radiesse and Sculptra

Who is it for?

Collagen stimulators are for women and men who have:

• early or moderate skin laxity: a less defined jawline, thinning skin on the neck or décolleté;
• diffuse loss of volume: hollow temples or cheeks, flattened cheekbones;
• hollow backs of the hands, with visible veins and tendons (see hand filler);
• loose skin on the arms, thighs or buttocks.

They do not replace a facelift when sagging is marked; they suit people who want a gradual, natural result.

How do they work?

Injected deep in the skin, the microparticles in these products act as a scaffold for fibroblasts, which produce new collagen around them. The carrier gel is reabsorbed within a few weeks or months; the particles themselves break down slowly, and the collagen produced remains.

Radiesse

A gel containing microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite, a mineral naturally present in bone. It fills from the moment it is injected, then stimulates collagen. Undiluted, it restores volume (cheekbones, jawline, backs of the hands); diluted, it firms the skin over large areas (neck, décolleté, arms). It contains lidocaine. The result lasts 12 to 18 months.

Sculptra

A powder of poly-L-lactic acid, a resorbable polymer, reconstituted as a suspension before injection. It has no lasting immediate effect: volume appears gradually, over 2 to 3 months, as the collagen forms. It requires 2 to 3 sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart, and massage of the area in the following days. The result can last up to 2 years.

Radiesse, Sculptra or hyaluronic acid?

Which areas can be treated?

The temples, cheekbones, hollow cheeks, jawline, neck, décolleté and the backs of the hands; on the body, loose skin on the arms, thighs or buttocks. The lips and the eye area are not treated with these products, because of the risk of nodules.

What happens during a session?

1. ConsultationFree before injection, at the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes, Cannes: examination of the face or area, choice of product (Radiesse, Sculptra or hyaluronic acid) and number of sessions.
2. SessionAt the practice, in about 30 minutes: numbing cream, then deep injection with a cannula or needle.
3. MassageOf the area: for Sculptra, several times a day for a few days, to spread the product evenly.
4. Follow-up sessionsA single session is often enough with Radiesse; 2 to 3 sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart with Sculptra.

What is the recovery like?

• Social life: back to normal immediately.
• Injection points: redness, slight swelling and sometimes bruising for a few days.
• Radiesse: volume visible from the session, with firming that progresses over 2 to 3 months.
• Sculptra: the slight volume seen on the day fades within a few days (it is the water in the suspension); the real result appears within 2 to 3 months.

What are the risks?

The most common side effects are temporary redness, swelling and bruising. More rarely: nodules or small lumps under the skin, especially in thin-skinned areas, an inflammatory reaction, infection; exceptionally, blockage of a blood vessel, which is an emergency. Unlike hyaluronic acid, these products cannot be dissolved: this is why they are not injected into the lips or around the eyes.

Contraindications: pregnancy and breastfeeding, an active skin infection, autoimmune diseases, a tendency to keloids.

Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.

Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience

How much do Radiesse and Sculptra cost in Cannes?

Frequently asked questions about collagen stimulators