Aging not only does a number on our appearance, but it can affect our self-confidence and how we interact with the world around us. If you’re struggling with signs of aging like lines, wrinkles and loss of volume in the face and hands, you don’t have to resign yourself to them. Call Spa Black in San Antonio, TX and ask about the transformative results you can get from Radiesse.
Common Signs of Aging
As time goes by, all the things we took for granted about our youthful skin fade. Our plump and smooth skin is slowly replaced with wrinkles and folds. Our youthful contours and strong profile lose volume and flatten or hollow. What causes these dreaded signs of aging?
Lines, Wrinkles and Folds
When we’re young, our skin has everything going for it. Each of our three layers of skin, the outer epidermis, middle dermis and deep hypodermis, are intact and functioning at full capacity. What keeps us looking young and our skin so smooth is an abundance of collagen.
Collagen
This protein is the most abundant in our bodies, and particularly our skin. Underneath the surface, collagen is the healthy foundation of our appearance. This strong, fibrous protein tightly packs together to create a smooth scaffold that the epidermis lies on, keeping it wrinkle-free. That sturdy structure starts to change about the time we turn 20.
Our collagen production naturally slows down at a rate of about 1% each year. When we lose collagen, that solid layer of the skin deteriorates because the fibrous protein isn’t as tightly packed as it once was. Slowly, we develop areas where collagen can’t support our skin and it falls into crevices, creating lines, wrinkles and folds. Once there are weakened areas like this, our expressions and gravity continue to deepen those lines.
Areas of Lost Volume
Another function of collagen is to hold all three of our layers together, including the fat pads of our deepest layer of skin. These pads give us the definition of high cheekbones and the youthful apples of our cheeks. There’s also a layer of fat that also keeps our hands looking young and hides the veins, bones and ligaments that inevitably appear with age.
When we lose collagen, its grip on that underlying layer of skin and the fat pads that lie there loosens. Gravity does the rest, and those pads slip, which is why the lower portion of our faces gain volume while the mid-to-upper regions seem to flatten and hollow. The dermis in our hands flattens when we lose collagen, and we are left with a bony appearance and thinning skin.
Solutions
At our med spa in San Antonio, we offer Radiesse to our clients as a solution for both wrinkles and areas of lost volume. While this treatment falls into the dermal filler family of injectables, it acts very differently from other fillers you may be familiar with.
What Is Radiesse?
Most dermal fillers are made of a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid suspended in a smooth gel. These work well to instantly add plump volume to moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds and even larger areas of lost volume, but they don’t affect collagen production. Radiesse is made from a very different substance and, while the aesthetic results are similar, what’s going on below the surface of the skin is very different.
Everything You Need to Know About Radiesse
Like any treatment, you want to know as much as you can before committing to having it performed. Here’s everything you need to know about this very different dermal filler.
It’s Made of Microspheres
Unlike the fillers made from hyaluronic acid, the active ingredient for this FDA-approved treatment is calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres suspended in a water-based gel. These microspheres are made of naturally occurring ions of phosphate and calcium.
These act very differently from hyaluronic acid when injected into the skin. Hyaluronic acid fills in space and is slowly absorbed by the body in 6-9 months. Microspheres change the structure of your skin.
It Boosts Collagen Production
When injected, the water-based gel gives immediate results by plumping up the targeted area. The microspheres stimulate the production of collagen. Your body reacts to the microsphere by building collagen around them until they’re completely surrounded. Once they are, they’re naturally metabolized by the body, but collagen production continues to increase.
Because it has a unique ability to stimulate collagen, this treatment is a great option for multiple areas of treatment, including:
- Nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines
- Volume issues in chin, cheeks and hands
- Softening harsh or angled features
- Facial contouring
- Neck rejuvenation
- Nose re-contouring
Its Results Last Longer
With typical dermal fillers, you can expect results to last from 6 to 9 months depending on the area being treated, the condition of the skin and the patient’s own metabolism rate. Because Radiesse stimulates collagen, results continue long after the actual filler has been naturally absorbed. Results can last up to two years for many clients. This reduces the number of follow-up appointments needed to maintain continuous results.
Unlike other dermal fillers whose ingredients can be destroyed if you don’t like the results, this treatment is indestructible. A consultation will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed choice. Our clients love the results!
It Can Restore Contours
If you’ve noticed your cheekbones aren’t as prominent as they once were, or maybe you’ve never had the contours you’ve wanted, this treatment can restore or provide the volume necessary to achieve your desired look. When injected into the cheek area, the gel gives you an immediate lift, while the microspheres boost collagen to keep the more youthful contours in place for up to two years.
If you miss the apple of your cheeks, this treatment can add immediate volume and give you back the smile of your youth.
It Works Wonders for Aging Hands
Often overlooked, our hands can betray our age just as quickly as our faces can. As time passes, our once plump and smooth hands will lose their layer of fat. When our hands lose volume, they can look bony, showing every ligament and vein and giving us an aged appearance.
Using Radiesse on the backs of the hands fills in the tissue between our bones and ligaments, reducing their appearance. The production of collagen strengthens and thickens our skin, reducing the appearance of unsightly veins. The result is younger-looking, smooth and opaque hands with a stronger structure and restored volume.
What to Expect From Treatment
The first step to treatment is an in-depth consultation with our med spa in San Antonio specialists. We’ll examine your areas of concern and talk through the result you expect. If we both decide this is the right treatment for you, we’ll give you a few pre-treatment instructions. The first is to avoid any blood-thinning medications, supplements or substances. Avoiding these products will limit bruising:
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
- Vitamin E
- Fish oil
- Ginseng
- Gingko Biloba
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
Avoid unprotected exposure to the sun for a few weeks before treatment. Don’t use vitamin C, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids or strong retinoids before treatment. Avoid bleaching, waxing or tweezing the injection site.
During Treatment
When you arrive, we’ll apply a numbing cream to the injection area just to make sure you’re comfortable. We’ll then make a series of small injections to the treatment area. We’re able to see our progress as we go, so we’ll know exactly how and where it’s working.
When we’re done, you’ll have immediate results as the water-based gel fills in the targeted areas. There is no downtime with this minimally invasive treatment. Many clients visit our spa in San Antonio on their lunch breaks and go immediately back to work.
Post-Treatment
This is a low maintenance treatment, so there are very few post-treatment instructions. Don’t rub the injection sites and avoid makeup for about 12 hours. We ask that you stay out of the sun unprotected for a week and avoid harsh facial treatments like chemical peels and microdermabrasion for the same amount of time. Each client is different, so you’ll be given a unique set of instructions to follow to get the most out of your treatment.
Results
Your results are immediate, and as collagen production is stimulated, your results will continue. Because the best results depend on collagen, there are some things to avoid if you want to maintain the best results. Collagen is broken down not just by time but by lifestyle choices. If you want your results to last as long as possible, avoid:
- Unprotected time in the sun
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Overconsumption of sugar or processed foods
- Long-term unmanaged stress
- Lack of sleep
- Poor hydration
By making healthy choices, most clients can continue to see results for up to two years. All results vary and are specific to each client.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Most people who struggle with areas of lost volume or moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds who don’t want the expense, risk or downtime of more invasive procedures are good candidates. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may not want this treatment, but only a consultation can truly determine the right course of treatment right for you.
Other Dermal Fillers
If there are other areas you’d like to address that Radiesse isn’t the right option for, we offer other dermal fillers for all your aesthetic needs.
Lip Enhancement
One of the most common requests we get is to restore volume to thinning lips or give clients the full lips they never had but always wanted. We offer Juvederm Ultra XC to provide full lip enhancement for our clients. This injectable is made of hyaluronic acid suspended is a smooth gel, so the results always look and feel natural. We can provide our clients with as soft or as dramatic a result as they want, and the results are immediate.
Our lip enhancement includes not just adding volume but eliminating the vertical, or smoker’s, lines that can blur the defined edges of your lips. These lines also make wearing lipstick and gloss frustrating because the color will bleed onto the surrounding skin. We can reverse down-turned corners of the mouth that can give you an unhappy expression even when you’re not. You can have the shape and volume you’ve always wanted.
Restore Youthful Contours and Smooth Skin
If you’re frustrated and disheartened by the changes in your complexion and facial structure that age has brought, you don’t have to just grin and bear it. Our spa in San Antonio offers a comprehensive menu of treatments to address all of your concerns.
Don’t put off having the youthful appearance you dream of. Contact Spa Black in San Antonio, TX today for your free consultation. We are fully committed to providing each of our clients with exceptional care and service while helping them look and feel their absolute best.