Hand augmentation with Radiesse® (Calcium hydroxylapatite)

The hand has remained a considerable treatment challenge, as new soft tissue fillers have arrived in the esthetic marketplace. The challenge has been the result of both the multiple visits required for treatment in, for example, autologous fat grafting and the simple management of pain in the innervated areas of the hand between the bones. This paper introduces a novel, noticeably less painful approach to treatment of the hand with calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA; Radiesse (R), BioForm Medical, San Mateo, CA). Anesthetic is added to the compound prior to injection, resulting in a homogenous admixture of CaHA and anesthetic. A bolus of the mixture is injected into the skin, using tenting, and then spread throughout the hand. The result of this approach - mixing anesthetic with CaHA - is treatment that is easier to massage and disseminate, less painful to the patient than conventional hand injection, and characterized by less swelling and bruising, with minimal post-treatment downtime.