You exercise, eat right, and slather serums and creams on your face to maintain a youthful glow. But what about your hands? A second look will likely reveal they need attention, especially when compared to the firm appearance of your face. Wrinkles, veins, and more can be easily corrected with Radiesse, an injectable quickly administered by the professional staff of Nunnally Dermatology in Baton Rouge, LA.
Can Radiesse Really Rejuvenate Your Hands?
It might be hard to believe that a treatment exists to help your hands look more youthful, but it’s true. What’s more, science helps support this claim. In a patient study, 98 percent of those who had received treatment continued to see significant improvements in the appearance of their hands after three months. This same study revealed that after a year, 86 percent of patients maintained improvements.
If you’re wondering how all of this is possible, we can explain. Radiesse is a member of the injectable fillers category and gets placed under the skin using a small needle. Upon injection, it immediately plumps the skin’s surface to smooth wrinkles and lines. It also reduces the appearance of veins so hands look softer and more supple.
A Two-fold Effect
But this treatment doesn’t stop with adding volume. It is made of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in a water-based gel. The microspheres are identical to organic material found in the bones and teeth, thus identifying its biocompatibility with your body. Each CaHA particle is smooth, consistent in size, and relatively large to the injectable with greater durability.
After treatment, the body breaks down the carrier gel even as the CaHA remains. This compound stimulates natural collagen synthesis to further reinforce and support the skin. Without collagen – and now is a good time to mention the protein’s levels do wane with age – skin loses its strength, shrivels, and falls victim to wrinkles and fine lines.
Collagen Production
CaHA activates fibroblasts, the most common cells found in connective tissues. They, in turn, secrete collagen proteins that maintain a structural framework for many tissues in the body. Fibroblasts also help to heal wounds. In studies, Radiesse has proven to stimulate collagen growth in as little as four weeks post-injection, and the benefits of this protein can last up to two years.
What happens to CaHA after it’s administered to the body? Its microspheres are, over time, broken down to calcium and phosphate ions. CT scans have revealed that immediately after treatment, CaHA is clearly visible below the skin. Twelve months later, however, a repeat of these scans revealed only residual amounts, thereby proving that CaHA is safely absorbed.
Long-lasting Results
It’s interesting to note that a patient’s hands continue to look more youthful even after CaHA molecules are dissolved. This is likely owed to increased collagen levels that remain elevated long after treatment. Thanks to this information, we now know treatment can provide both immediate volume restoration as well as long-lasting aesthetic enhancements.
Characteristics of This Injectable
Fillers possess specific characteristics that allow them to restore volume and provide lift under the skin: cohesivity, elasticity, and viscosity. The first trait, cohesivity, determines a filler’s lifting capacity. Elasticity measures the ability to resist deterioration when put under pressure, such as when facial muscles move. And viscosity refers to the structural integrity a filler maintains once injected into tissues.
Radiesse maintains a high rating in all of these traits, meaning it can:
- Remain precisely where it is injected
- Provide lift so skin looks rejuvenated
- Maintain its structural integrity even with tissue and muscle movement
Differences Between CaHA and Hyaluronic Acid
Many fillers today are formulated with hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar the body creates naturally to lubricate joints and keep skin hydrated. HA is beneficial in this manner because it, like CaHA, is biocompatible with the body and rarely presents adverse effects. But the aesthetic effects of this treatment often fade quickly – sometimes in as little as six months.
It also doesn’t provide real lifting advantages, whereas CaHA lifts and volumizes. It also stimulates new collagen production, while HA binds to fibrin in a way that supports the skin’s underlying matrix. This provides a very brief advantage but, ultimately, binding to fibrin can also inhibit collagen formation.
Patients Often Prefer CaHA
In a study between Radiesse and fillers made with hyaluronic acid, most patients preferred the former. This is often because it lasts longer and provides better cosmetic outcomes than HA fillers, especially after 12 months. We’re not saying HA fillers aren’t beneficial, because they are. They’re often denser and provide more immediate results, and they’re ideal for patients nervous about their appearance because results are not as long-lasting.
Your Hands Show Your Age
While the face and neck are two places that show the signs of aging most rapidly, it’s important to remember the hands do as well. This can be hard to believe, as we rarely associate them in such a way, but the appearance of your hands significantly changes over time. Sun spots develop, veins bulge, and creases form. These visible cues send a message to others, as revealed by a study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
What are those cues? Your real age. According to the study, others can often gauge a person’s age simply by looking at their hands. This effect can counter your other efforts to look more youthful, such as Botox injections and chemical peels that improve your facial appearance. In fact, the results of these treatments can be undermined by your hands, which, after the face, are your most visible body part.
Details of the Study
In returning to the ASPS study, participants looked at photographs of female hands and then responded to questions regarding their owners’ ages. In most cases, participants accurately estimated the age of each woman in the photographs. The hand trait that revealed the biggest clue was prominent veins. Luckily, injectable therapy can help in this regard by plumping skin.
Caring for Hands after Treatment
After treatment, your hands will be fuller, softer, and smoother. You can prolong these effects with a few at-home steps. Age spots, for example, can be reduced by wearing sunscreen. That’s right – these telltale spots of pigmentation are the result of sun exposure, and those who spend more time outside without protecting their skin will get them sooner and in greater number than those who take proper precautions.
We recommend rubbing a dime-sized amount of hand cream fortified with SPF 30 before you go outdoors every day. You should reapply after washing your hands or every two hours, whichever comes first.
Crepey Skin
Although similar to wrinkles, crepey skin looks like finely crinkled crepe paper. It commonly impacts larger areas, like the hands, and the skin afflicted looks and feels considerably thinner and more fragile. This effect is often linked to sun exposure; damaging UV rays break down collagen and elastin fibers more quickly than under normal conditions. This causes the skin to lose its elasticity and, as we mentioned earlier, shrivel.
Crepey skin is another sign of aging that can benefit from the combined application of hand lotion and sunscreen. Moisture will assist with plumping the skin, and sunscreen will help prevent additional damage.
Scaly Skin
No conversation about the hands would be complete without speaking of hydration. Although scaly patches are not necessarily signs of age, it must be said that skin does become drier as time goes on. This is because all body processes gradually slow, including the ability to make hyaluronic acid. The absence of this compound causes the skin to deflate and develop dry flakes.
A nutrient-rich moisturizer can replenish HA and give hands a much-needed boost of hydration. Also wear gloves when cleaning the house to protect against chemical exposure and when outdoors – especially in cold weather. An extra-rich moisturizer should be applied at night, before bedtime, and then sealed by wearing socks or mittens as you sleep.
What to Expect
Dermal fillers of all kinds have gained great popularity in recent years. This is owed to two primary traits: they deliver real and rapid results, and they are easily administered. When injected into the hands, Radiesse is equally quick. Sessions take less than an hour, and you’ll walk out with visibly smoother hands. More specifically, you’ll no longer see veins, tendons, or wrinkles.
Each hand commonly needs one syringe of treatment delivered in targeted spots on the back of the hand. We then massage the filler to ensure it distributes evenly for the most natural-looking results possible. A local anesthetic can be used prior to treatment to maximize comfort.
After Treatment
Fillers are well-tolerated and do not require downtime. We suggest you rest your hands for about 24 hours to minimize any potential for swelling, but aside from this caveat, you can resume normal activities. In addition, this treatment can be paired with other therapies – like dermal fillers in the cheeks, lips, or around the mouth – to deliver a more youthful appearance all over.
Other Uses for This Injection
Radiesse can be used in more than the hands and is often injected into the face to provide lift and volume. With such versatility, it is ideal for areas like:
- Around the mouth, where marionette and smile lines develop
- Along the jawline to add structure and definition
- In the corners of the mouth
- The cheeks to restore volume and smooth folds
- In the chin to erase wrinkles
Safe for Most
Treatment provides the same long-lasting results in the face as in the hands, with patients seeing improvements for up to two years. Collagen synthesis is likewise stimulated in the face, providing patients with instant volume and improved skin health. In addition, clinical trials reveal treatment is very safe, and it’s FDA-approved for both face and hand rejuvenation.
Most patients can benefit from this injectable thanks to its immense safety profile. Those who should delay treatment include pregnant and breastfeeding women. Alternative treatments should also be sought for patients using prescription blood thinners or who have a bleeding disorder.
Is This Filler Better Than Others?
Radiesse stands above many other fillers because of its viscosity. This allows it to eradicate deep wrinkles and lines that thinner fillers often cannot. It is especially beneficial in restoring a strong jawline, which is a quintessential feature in a youthful face. And keep in mind this filler is the only one with FDA approval to correct the common signs of aging in hands.
Take Care of Your Hands
Just as your face and body demand attention, so too do your hands. They are on display for all the world to see, whether you’re preparing dinner for friends and family or using them for work. The point is they can give your age away just as quickly as your face can. Your best defense against this is Radiesse, a treatment quickly and easily administered. Call Nunnally Dermatology in Baton Rouge, LA, today to schedule your consultation.
