A common complaint we hear from women is that they notice their hands aging and looking older. Many of these ladies have just completed a blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) or neck lift and now feel that the back of their hands looks older than their face. This was a problem without a quick and easy solution.
However, now Merz Pharma Group, the maker of the long-term filler Radiesse, said this week it has received regulatory approval to sell the nation’s first injectable “filler” to improve the appearance of bony, aging hands.
Merz North America plans to market the product, Radiesse, to the one million-plus Americans who receive facelifts, injections, and other facial treatments and want youthful-looking hands to match their rejuvenated faces.
At Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery, we already use Radiesse to enhance the chin, lift the cheeks, and fix nasal deformities, but now we can also use it to improve the appearance of the hands. This will appeal to many women, even soon-to-be brides, who want beautiful hands to show off their wedding rings. The process, known as volumizing, fills out the hand and reduces the prominence of tendons and veins.
Radiesse injection can cause nodules, bumps or lumps in the back of the hand and can last up to a one year; the most common side effects are temporary bruising, redness, swelling, pain, itching.
Q: Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
A: If you feel your hands look bony, thin, or old, you may be a candidate for an injection of Radiesse. The procedure takes only half an hour and will usually utilize two syringes of Radiesse. The typical cost is $1400 and will usually last 9-12 months.
