Biostimulators

Biostimulators like Sculptra and Radiesse rely on your body’s ability to heal itself with the proper “nudge”.  The effects of your biostimulator treatments increase over time as your body improves the thickness and quality of the skin.  It lakes longer to work than a hyaluronic acid filler, but the results also last longer, sometimes much longer.  With a biostimulator, your body will produce important components of the skin such as type I and type III collagen (for thickness and structure), elastin (for skin elasticity and tightness), proteoglycans (for glow), and improved blood supply (also known as angiogenesis) for all of the above.  The change with biostimulators is gradual and natural-looking, and people might mention that you look fresher or younger, but won’t be able to tell that you had a procedure.

Common injection sites for Sculptra and Radiesse include the nasolabial folds, smile lines, cheeks, temples, lower face, and chin.  Your Clear Aesthetics experts will work with you on the best strategy to restore lost volume.  

The main difference between a hyaluronic-acid (HA) filler like Restylane and a biostimulator like Radiesse is how immediate of an effect you get, and how long it might last. The filler will get you an immediate results by restoring volume and the biostimulator will do a great job restoring volume, elasticity, glow, and tightness, but do so slowly over several weeks.  With HA filler, you will walk out of the office with your lines filled.  The biostimulator relies on your body’s ability to heal itself with the proper “nudge”.  The effects of your biostimulator treatments increase over time as your body improves the thickness and quality of the skin.  It lakes longer to work, but the results also last longer, sometimes much longer.  With a biostimulator your body will produce important components of the skin such as type I and type III collagen (for thickness and structure), elastin (for skin elasticity and tightness), proteoglycans (for glow), and improved blood supply (also known as angiogenesis) for all of the above.  The change with biostimulators is gradual and natural-looking, and people might mention that you look fresher or younger, but won’t be able to tell that you had a procedure.

Choosing a dermal filler requires clear communication of your goals. Recommended dosages vary by your choice of treatment. 

Hyaluronic acid-based products we offer include: 

• Restylane Contour or Lyft: for cheeks or very deep lines
• Restylane Kysse or Silk: very soft/flexible filler for the lip area
• Restylane-L: The most versatile all-around filler
• Restylane Defyne/Refyne: great for the back of hands, chin, jaw definition, and other areas
• Resylane Eyelight for undereye hollows
• Belotero: great for nasolabial folds
• Most Juvederm fillers including XC, Volbella, Voluma, and Vollure.

The number of treatments and amount of product you’ll need depends on your evaluation. We’ll work on getting you the best results with the least amount of filler, injected as safely as possible. 

Most formulations include a numbing medication (lidocaine) pre-mixed into the filler by the manufacturer, but if you are allergic to lidocaine let us know and we will use a lidocaine-free formulation.

Biostimulators we offer include:

• Sculptra Aesthetic: Soften the appearance of deep nasolabial folds and hollow areas of the face.  
• Radiesse: Corrects volume loss and smooths moderate to severe facial wrinkles.  Also, improves skin elasticity and glow.  Natural-looking gradual results.  Great for avoiding awkward conversations at work.
• If you’re unsure about the right product for your goals, come in for a consultation. Our board-certified physician will help you decide based on what you’re looking to accomplish with your cosmetic treatment.

Depending on the area that is being treated, most dermal filler appointments last 30-60 minutes. There’s zero downtime, allowing you to go about your day as usual. The treatments are non-invasive, and many patients compare the pain level to Botox. Injections are quick and precise, but you may experience discomfort when working with delicate areas. If you’re sensitive to pain, talk to our staff. We can manage our patients’ comfort during the procedure. 

We will apply a numbing cream where the injections take place prior to starting. Most of our fillers already contain lidocaine to manage any discomfort with your treatment even more efficiently.  Let us know if you are allergic and we can use a lidocaine-free formulation.

An advantage of biostimulators like Radiesse and Sculptra is the longevity.  Radiesse is like a train engine that starts slowly but keeps on going.  The effects of most biostimulatory fillers may last several years.  The half-life of skin collagen is about 10 years, so some effects (like thickness and volume) might even last decades.  Some of that will depend on your underlying health and lifestyle.  Multiple sessions of the biostimulator (spaced out in time) are need to get the best long-term effects.

Biostimulators can cause an allergic reaction as not all ingredients are naturally occurring, but these cases are rare. Otherwise, potential side effects are similar to hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers.  Bruising, swelling, or redness is most common but resolves within a few days.  You should not have fillers of any kind if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, suffer from a neurological disorder or have a known allergy to any of the listed ingredients.  The best way to ensure a smooth treatment is to go with an experienced injector.