Radiesse
← All comparisons
Dermapedia / CompareProcedures
Radiesse vs Voluma
Voluma is the better choice for cheek volume, and for anyone who wants a way out. It is a firm hyaluronic acid gel that lifts the mid-face the same day and can be dissolved. Radiesse is the better choice for a defined jawline, chin or the backs of the hands. It gives volume on the day and then builds collagen, but it cannot be dissolved. If this is your first injectable, that difference should weigh heavily.
At a glance
| The difference | Radiesse | Juvéderm Voluma |
|---|---|---|
| What is in the syringe | Calcium microspheres in a gel | Hyaluronic acid gel |
| What it is used for | Structure and edges | Cheek volume |
| Cost | Priced per syringe | Priced per syringe |
Juvéderm Voluma
Hyaluronic acid gel A firmly cross-linked gel. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar your skin already makes.
Side by side
The differences that matter
What is in the syringe
Radiesse
Calcium microspheres in a gel
Calcium hydroxylapatite is the same mineral found in bone. The gel carrier fades and the collagen it triggers takes over.
Juvéderm Voluma
Hyaluronic acid gel
A firmly cross-linked gel. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar your skin already makes.
How it works, illustrated
Radiesse
What it is used for
Radiesse
Structure and edges
Jawline, chin, temples and the backs of the hands. It is stiff, so it holds a defined line.
Juvéderm Voluma
Cheek volume
The mid-face. It is designed to sit deep over the cheekbone and lift the tissue above it.
What happens over time
Radiesse
Volume now, then a dip, then a build
Fuller straight away, a little less full at around two months, then better again as collagen forms.
Juvéderm Voluma
Steady, then a slow fade
What you see at two weeks is roughly what you keep until it wears off.
How long it lasts
Radiesse
About a year
Some of the collagen benefit outlives the product itself.
Juvéderm Voluma
Up to about two years
One of the longer-lasting hyaluronic acid gels, because the cheek moves little.
Can it be undone
Radiesse
No
There is no enzyme for calcium hydroxylapatite. A result you dislike has to be waited out.
Juvéderm Voluma
Yes
Hyaluronidase dissolves it, usually within a day or two.
Where it should not go
Radiesse
Not the lips
Radiesse has a higher rate of lumps in lip tissue, so it is not used there.
Juvéderm Voluma
Not usually the fine lines
Voluma is too firm for lips and lip lines. Softer products in the same family are used there.
Side effects to expect
Radiesse
Bruising, swelling, firmness
Small lumps are the specific complaint, and they cannot be dissolved away.
Juvéderm Voluma
Bruising, swelling, tenderness
Lumps and unevenness happen, but they can be dissolved.
Cost
Radiesse
Priced per syringe
Often fewer syringes are needed for a jawline than people expect.
Juvéderm Voluma
Priced per syringe
Cheek work commonly uses one syringe per side, so budget for two.
The at-home or drugstore version
Radiesse
There is not one
No cream carries calcium microspheres under the skin, and no collagen drink builds collagen in one chosen spot.
Juvéderm Voluma
A hyaluronic acid serum
A serum holds water in the top layer for a few hours. Voluma is placed on the bone. Same molecule, different depth, different job.
Who each suits
Radiesse
- Best for — Jaw and chin definition, and thin-looking hands.
- The mindset — You want an edge, and you accept it cannot be undone.
Juvéderm Voluma
- Best for — Flat or hollow cheeks.
- The mindset — You want lift today, with the option to reverse it.
They are two different kinds of product
Radiesse
Radiesse is part filler, part collagen stimulator. The gel gives volume on the day, then absorbs. The calcium particles left behind prompt your skin to lay down its own collagen, so the second half of the result is your tissue rather than the product.
Reversibility is the deciding fact for a first-timer
Radiesse
Radiesse cannot be taken back out. There is no antidote, and lumps in this product are the reason that matters. The plan for a poor result is to wait it out.
Neither one is a substitute for the other
Radiesse
Radiesse in a cheek is a real option, but a different look. It is stiffer, so it reads as structure rather than softness, and some faces do not suit that in the mid-face.
What neither one does
Conditions treated
Radiesse
Wrinkles and Fine Lines
A thicker injectable that both fills immediately and stimulates collagen over the following months, used mainly along the jaw and in the cheeks and hands. It is firmer than hyaluronic acid filler, so it is not used in delicate areas like under the eyes, and it cannot be dissolved.
Before you book
More photographs
Radiesse
Related topic illustrations
Radiesse
Sculptra
Moderate to strong evidence. A pure collagen stimulator with no same-day change, given as a course, and typically lasting around two years. Broader and softer in effect, and also not reversible.
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is Radiesse or Voluma better for cheeks?
Voluma is the product designed for cheek volume, and it can be dissolved if you dislike it. Radiesse is used in cheeks too, but it is stiffer and reads more as structure than softness.
Can Radiesse be dissolved?
No. There is no enzyme that removes calcium hydroxylapatite. A result you dislike has to be waited out, which takes months.
Which lasts longer, Radiesse or Voluma?
Voluma usually lasts longer, up to about two years in the cheek. Radiesse tends to run about a year, though some of the collagen it triggers outlives the product.
Is Radiesse a filler or a collagen stimulator?
Both. The gel gives volume on the day, then absorbs. The calcium particles left behind prompt your own collagen, so the later result is your tissue.
Why is Radiesse not used in lips?
It has a higher rate of lumps in lip tissue, and those lumps cannot be dissolved. Softer hyaluronic acid gels are used there instead.
Can I have Radiesse and Voluma at the same time?
Yes, and it is a common plan. Voluma is often used in the cheek and Radiesse along the jaw, since each suits a different job.