Radiesse in Rapid City, SD
At LiveWell Medical Aesthetics in Rapid City, SD, we offer Radiesse, a calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) biostimulator that delivers two distinct benefits in a single treatment: immediate volume correction and long-term collagen stimulation. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, which add volume directly, Radiesse uses calcium microspheres to physically restore structure while triggering your body to produce new collagen in the treated area.
Radiesse treatments at LiveWell are performed by Courtney Vesely, FNP-C, Marie Patton, CNP, and Christa McCormick, RN. We also offer Hyperdilute Radiesse; a diluted formulation technique used for broader skin quality improvement across the face, decolletage, and body rather than targeted volumization.
How Radiesse Works
Radiesse is composed of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in a gel carrier. Calcium hydroxyapatite is a naturally occurring substance — the same mineral that makes up bones and teeth — that is biocompatible and gradually absorbed by the body over time.
When injected, the gel carrier physically fills in the treated area, providing instant volume correction and visible improvement. This immediate result is similar in appearance to a hyaluronic acid filler, but the mechanism is different: there is no hyaluronic acid in Radiesse.
Over the following weeks and months, the body gradually metabolizes the gel carrier and begins to envelop the CaHA microspheres with its own collagen. As those microspheres are eventually absorbed too, they leave behind a collagen matrix your body built. This new collagen continues to provide structural support after the product itself is gone.
The result is a treatment that provides both the immediacy patients want and the longevity biostimulators are known for, typically 12 to 18 months for standard Radiesse and potentially longer for Hyperdilute Radiesse depending on the area treated.
Radiesse is FDA-approved and has been available in the United States since 2006.
Hyperdilute Radiesse: Skin Quality Improvement Across Larger Areas
Hyperdilute Radiesse is a technique in which Radiesse is mixed with saline and lidocaine to create a more fluid formulation that spreads evenly across a larger treatment area. Rather than providing targeted volumization in a specific fold or hollow, it is applied across a broader zone to improve overall skin quality, texture, firmness, and elasticity.
How it differs from standard Radiesse
Standard Radiesse is used for structural correction — replacing lost volume in the cheeks, defining the jawline, or addressing deep folds. Hyperdilute Radiesse is used for skin quality — improving collagen density, surface texture, and crepey skin across a zone rather than correcting a specific anatomical deficit.
Who is a good candidate for Hyperdilute Radiesse
Patients who have good overall facial structure but are experiencing skin texture changes, crepey skin, or diffuse collagen loss are the best candidates. It is particularly well-suited for patients in their 40s to 60s who want broad skin quality improvement rather than correction of a specific volume deficit.
Hyperdilute Radiesse at LiveWell is discussed at your consultation. Your provider will assess your skin quality, the areas you want to address, and whether standard or hyperdilute Radiesse (or a combination) is the right approach.
Where Radiesse Is Used
Radiesse can be used for targeted volumization in the following areas:
Radiesse's high cohesivity and G-prime rating make it particularly effective for lifting and restoring structure in the mid-face. It holds position well in structural areas.
Radiesse is commonly used to define and sharpen the jawline, address early jowling, and create structural support along the lower face.
Chin projection and definition can be improved with Radiesse, providing a more balanced facial profile without surgery.
Deep smile lines respond well to Radiesse's immediate volumizing effect combined with its long-term collagen support.
Radiesse is FDA-approved for hand augmentation, one of the few body areas where injectable volumization is specifically approved. Volume restoration in the backs of the hands reduces the appearance of tendons, veins, and bony prominences that become more visible with age.
For broader skin quality improvement in the face, neck, decolletage, or body, see the Hyperdilute Radiesse section above.
Radiesse vs. Sculptra: Which Biostimulator Is Right for You?
LiveWell offers both Radiesse and Sculptra, the two most established biostimulators in aesthetic medicine. They work differently and suit different patient goals:
Provides immediate volume correction plus long-term collagen stimulation. Results are visible the same day. Best for patients who want structural correction now and lasting improvement over time. Also available in Hyperdilute formulation for broad skin quality improvement.
No immediate visible result. Results develop gradually over 3 to 6 months as the body builds new collagen. Best for patients who want widespread, natural-looking improvement over a longer timeline without an immediate change.
The key decision point: if you want to see a change immediately and also build long-term collagen, Radiesse is typically the right choice. If you want the most gradual, undetectable improvement over time, Sculptra is often preferred. Many patients use both at different stages of their treatment plan.
Results You Can Expect
Results from Radiesse are visible immediately following treatment. The initial appearance includes the volume correction from the gel carrier as well as some mild swelling, which resolves within a few days to reveal a more accurate representation of the final result.
Over the following 3 to 6 months, collagen production in the treated area increases, which further improves the appearance and supports the result even as the gel component gradually absorbs.
Duration by technique:
Results typically last 12 to 18 months depending on the area treated, the amount used, and your individual metabolism.
Results can last 12 months or longer depending on the area and the number of sessions. Skin quality improvement tends to develop progressively and may require 2 sessions for optimal results.
For broader skin quality improvement in the face, neck, decolletage, or body, see the Hyperdilute Radiesse section above.
Meet Your Provider
Radiesse and Hyperdilute Radiesse treatments at LiveWell Medical Aesthetics are performed by Courtney Vesely, FNP-C, MSN, RN, Founder and Lead Injector.
Courtney has over ten years of experience in aesthetic medicine and specializes in biostimulator techniques, facial anatomy, and personalized injectable planning. South Dakota grants Nurse Practitioners full practice authority, meaning Courtney leads the practice independently.
Radiesse Frequently Asked Questions
Radiesse is a biostimulator, not a hyaluronic acid filler. It is made of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) microspheres rather than hyaluronic acid. While it provides immediate volume correction like a filler, it also stimulates your body to produce new collagen over the following months. This dual-action mechanism is what makes it a biostimulator. It cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase the way HA fillers can.
Standard Radiesse typically lasts 12 to 18 months depending on the area treated and your individual metabolism. Hyperdilute Radiesse results can last 12 months or longer and may continue to improve over time as collagen production builds. Many patients schedule a maintenance session annually to sustain their results.
Hyperdilute Radiesse is Radiesse mixed with saline and lidocaine to create a more fluid formulation. Rather than providing targeted volumization in a specific area, it is applied across a broader zone to improve skin quality, texture, and collagen density. It is commonly used on the face, neck, decolletage, hands, and body. Standard Radiesse is used for structural correction; Hyperdilute Radiesse is used for skin quality improvement. Both are available at LiveWell.
Both are biostimulators, but they work differently. Radiesse provides immediate volume correction plus long-term collagen stimulation, results are visible the same day. Sculptra provides no immediate result; improvement develops gradually over 3 to 6 months as your body builds collagen. The right choice depends on whether you want an immediate change or a completely gradual one. Your provider will discuss both at your consultation.
Yes. Radiesse is FDA-approved for hand augmentation, one of the few body areas where injectable volumization is specifically approved. Hand treatment restores volume to the backs of the hands, reducing the visibility of tendons, veins, and bony structures that become more prominent with age. The procedure is quick and results are immediate.
Radiesse cannot be dissolved with hyaluronidase the way hyaluronic acid fillers can. It is gradually absorbed by the body over 12 to 18 months and does not require reversal in most cases. If a patient is unhappy with the result, the most common management approach is to wait for partial absorption and, if needed, strategic use of HA filler to adjust the appearance. This is an important distinction to understand before choosing Radiesse over an HA filler. Your provider will discuss candidacy and expectations at your consultation.
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