My DIY hand rejuvenation with Radiesse
I’ve been tired of my crypt keeper hands forever, so I started researching my options. In the US, there are two FDA approved treatments for hand volume loss: Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse, Merz Pharma) and Hyaluronic Acid, specifically Restylane Lyft (Galderma).
After reading about both options, I decided to start with CaHA, figuring that I can always augment with HA in the future if CaHA is not sufficient.
The Korean dupe for Radiesse is Volassom. I looked at a lot of websites to compare prices, and eventually I decided to go with Radiesse from CentraleFillers.com, which is based in France. Someone in this sub mentioned them once, and I got a good feeling from their website, so I decided to take the chance. Their price for Radiesse was 108€ (~ $126) for 1.5 mL syringe, which was less than most other places, and comparable to multiple sources of Volassom at $148 for 2 x 0.8 mL syringes. Shipping was about 35€, also reasonable, and it arrived in 7 days. I, of course, have no definitive way to determine if my product is counterfeit, but I will say that if it is, it is a very good one.
Since injecting one’s own hands can be tricky to say the least, I decided to use the technique I read about in two articles over the official Radiesse procedures. Edelson (https://sci-hub.se/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2009.00423.x) and Busso (https://sci-hub.se/10.1111/j.1529-8019.2007.00153.x) Both recommend a dilution of the Radiesse with 0.5 mL of 2% lidocaine, and a bolus plus massage injection technique. The risk of irreversible vascular occlusion is never zero, but the dorsal hand anatomy makes the risk small with proper technique.
I ended up doing two boluses of 1 mL each (1.5 mL Radiesse plus 0.5 mL 2% lido) in each hand. I would describe it as a little bit uncomfortable, but not painful. The dilution of the CaHA with lido helps with the anesthesia, and also makes it less viscous. After thorough massage, I put on a pair of inexpensive arthritis compression gloves and used ice packs on and off for the rest of the day. I also took some ibuprofen.
Twenty-four hours later, my hands were fairly swollen, but gosh, what a difference! No more massive tendons and veins!
24 hours later: Swollen, but big improvement!
I expect the change will be less dramatic in a few days after the swelling goes down, but that’s OK. As a biostimulator, there should be some gradual improvement over a period of weeks. Anecdotal evidence is that the changes can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, so I am happy to wait and see. Bilateral hand rejuvenation with CaHA in the US costs anywhere from $1500 to $2000, so the initial outlay here is a distinct improvement.
I’ll update in a few months with my long term results. Apologies for the crap photography.
(I am merely relating my experience. None of this is to be construed as instruction or medical advice! Please do not attempt this without consultation and training, and you, and only you, are responsible for any unforeseen complications.)
Posted Jun 25, 2025, 5:09 AM UTC