What should you know about Radiesse for cellulite?

Cellulite reflects the interaction of skin, fat compartments, connective bands, and muscle. Radiesse is a calcium hydroxylapatite injectable that may add support beneath an uneven area and encourage a collagen response. It is more relevant to some shallow depressions or skin laxity than to every type of cellulite. The result can vary with body position, tissue thickness, and the pattern of tethering.

Bruising, swelling, tenderness, firmness, nodules, infection, and unevenness are possible. Cellulite can remain visible, and a treatment may need review rather than repeated injections. A clinician should distinguish cellulite from a painful lump, swelling, a scar, or another skin condition before planning cosmetic treatment.

Have the dimples assessed while standing and moving, not only while lying down. Discuss whether skin tightening, subcision, radiofrequency, microneedling, or another approach matches the underlying pattern. Tell the clinician about prior fillers, allergies, medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and active rashes or infections. Ask how the area will be photographed and reviewed, and allow early inflammation to settle before deciding whether a change is meaningful.

Contact the clinic for increasing redness, heat, drainage, fever, severe pain, rapidly growing swelling, or a hard area that does not improve. Pale or dusky skin, marked numbness, or sudden weakness needs urgent assessment. Do not massage a new lump unless the treating clinician specifically advises it.

Ask what type of cellulite you have, whether the dimples are tethered, what improvement is realistic, which alternatives are available, and how a nodule or uneven result would be managed.