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Yes, You Can Melt Radiesse!

December 11, 2020

Radiesse is the brand name of a great filler made by Merz Aesthetics. It’s used in the face and hands to help soften wrinkles, fill in hollow areas, and rejuvenate the skin. However, it does have a reputation for being difficult (or even impossible) to melt and remove.

Why would you want to melt filler? Melting of filler is fairly common for multiple reasons: you might have been over-injected, you might have been injected by an inexperienced injector, or your injector might have injected it too close to the skin’s surface causing lumpiness or an excess of filler in certain areas.

The most commonly used fillers in the world – Hyaluronic Acid fillers – are extremely easy to melt. However, for Radiesse, there is no easily available melting agent that can get rid of calcium hydroxyapatite (the chemical that makes up Radiesse). That is, until you’ve read this article!

First Step: Saline Solution

The first line of defense is to inject the excess Radiesse with saline solution, the same fluid that you get in your veins with an IV drip. This will dilute the Radiesse and, with
pressure, can help to thin it out.

Second Step: Sodium Thiosulfate

If you have a nodule or lump, AND if saline injection alone can not thin out your Radiesse enough, then I can inject sodium thiosulfate. Sodium thiosulfate has the effect of “melting” Radiesse, causing lumps to soften and disappear, and also allowing the Radiesse scattered in your face to melt and go away.

I need as many details of your injection as possible to ensure that I am able to fully melt your Radiesse. Sodium thiosulfate is a safe injectable, but obviously will not do anything unless it’s placed into the exact areas where you’ve had Radiesse injected.

Injecting sodium thiosulfate into a lump is substantially easier, but it may take several injections to fully dissolve a lump. A thin layer of Radiesse usually only needs 1 or possibly 2 injection sessions of sodium thiosulfate to see a difference. So, patience is key!

What If You Don’t See Any Difference

If you have had saline and sodium thiosulfate injections and don’t see a difference, then most likely, the Radiesse isn’t the main problem!

Both injectables will thin out and eliminate calcium hydroxyapatite, so if you do not notice any difference with several injection attempts, then your Radiesse has already dissipated/melted.

If you’d like to set up a consultation and treatment session to remove your Radiesse, please contact my office at info@drkim.com or call/text us at (415) 362-1846. I look forward to meeting you soon!

In Vitro Analysis of the Degradation of Calcium Hydroxylapatite Dermal Filler: A Proof-of-Concept Study

https://journals.lww.com/dermatologicsurgery/Abstract/2018/11001/In_Vitro_Analysis_of _the_Degradation_of_Calcium.3.aspx

The Use of Intralesional Sodium Thiosulfate to Dissolve Facial Nodules From Calcium Hydroxylapatite

https://journals.lww.com/dermatologicsurgery/Citation/2020/10000/The_Use_of_Intralesi onal_Sodium_Thiosulfate_to.27.aspx

23 Responses

  1. Hi I had radius injected in my neck lines. I’m promising results. I had redness and lumpiness. Itching it wouldn’t go away. The injector used to cannula. And apparently was an experienced and injected too much. She tried to dissolve with Celine with massage ones and then with second choice sulfate.. Unfortunately I had a reaction and their neck it looks worse now. The plastic surgeon put me on a scar reduction treatment and ordered steroid tape.
    Can’t go around walking with the tape on my neck. Don’t know what to do now. Don’t plan to go back but have great lines on my neck now
    It’s been 1 month

    1. You can do a quick Google search to find vendors. I believe you need to be a MD to actually purchase it, since I think it’s prescription only.

  2. Hello!

    How much does it cost to “melt” radiesse ? Is there downtime, a lot of swelling and bruising ? Any side effects ? Could you send me some before and after photos ?

    1. The cost varies by the amount of Radiesse as well as the location. There may be some swelling or bruising afterwards. Please contact my office to set up a consultation and get a quote.

    2. Please contact my office at info@drkim.com or call 415 362 1846, and my Patient Coordinator can help you out. They can answer your questions and also go over costs.

      Before and after images and patients are on my IG feed.

  3. Looking to dissolve the filler Radiesse from the jawline & chin area located on the right side of my face. It was done nearly 2 years ago & is giving me too much of a MASCULINE LOOK. This, to me, has taken away from the feminine softness of my face. And the filler Radiesse was only injected on one side of my face. So ITS MORE SO AN UGLY PRESENTATION. And the qualities of my before face is definitely ether than what I’m looking at in the mirror daily. Besides that I’m strong. Respond at your earliest convenience

  4. Is there anyway to send pictures of before and after’s of radiesse melting?
    I had a doctor inject radiesse into an indentation on my stomach and now I have a bump that hasn’t gone away or gone down in a year and I’m very frustrated and looking into solutions

  5. Hi I had dilute radiesse injected on sides of chin which became distorted and thick. .4 on one slice and .5 on the other. Would the injections to dissolve it work?

  6. What if I was injected with hyperdiluted radiesse a couple of weeks ago? Will the treatment still work? I can totally feel the product.

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