The Hands On Approach

By: Dr Ravi Jain
Created on 20th January 2011

Dr Ravi Jain explains how he deals with the tricky problem of ageing on the hands

For many women, one of the biggest tell-tale signs of ageing is the hands – we only have to see those pictures of Madonna’s mitts to see how they can be a massive giveaway of age. We are all ready to look after our faces with the likes of anti-ageing creams, facials and so on, but what about our hands?

For some people, ageing hands are a very serious and worrying part of their body. Sometimes the loss of firmness and volume can leave them looking worn, aged and weak. It can make you feel self conscious and nervous about yourself. In some cases you might even try to cover up with gloves or clothing.

However, there is a method which can significantly reduce the effects of ageing in this area. Up until now the procedures involved in rejuvenating ageing hands were not ideal. No specific technique has worked perfectly and methods are often intrusive and very painful. But there is an option which is realistic and non-invasive.

With a treatment such as Radiesse, hands can look instantly younger, leaving everyone guessing your real age. Radiesse is an award-winning dermal filler, which, although also very popular to treat lines and wrinkles on the face, is incredibly effective when injected into the hands.

This innovative filler not only gives the treated area instant results, but also works with the body to stimulate natural collagen regrowth, giving longlasting effects (up to one year).

Radiesse is made up of calcium-based microspheres, which are suspended in a water-based gel. This means that the solution is 100 per cent biodegradable and absorbs naturally into the body.

I recently presented some research at the BODY conference (an annual meeting of some of the top minds in the aesthetics industry), which demonstrated that Radiesse is more effective for this area than other dermal fillers on the market.

The research

Dermatologic Surgery published a research paper on the use of Radiesse in May 2010. The study involved five countries across Europe, with 62 adult patients. The research wanted to examine how effective calcium hydroxylapatite or CaHA (the main component of Radiesse) is when combined with anaesthetic at combating diminished volume in ageing hands.

Patients were injected with either 0.1 millilitres of lidocaine bolus in each hand followed by CaHA or 1.3 millilitres of CaHA premixed with 0.1 to 0.2 millilitres of lidocaine. These interdigital injection techniques were then followed by massage and moulding to distribute the filler following injections.

The results showed that 86 per cent of patients that had undergone the procedure were satisfied with the results. Twelve weeks after the administration of the Radiesse, 93 per cent of investigators were satisfied with the results.

During weeks two and 12 of the treatment patients were examined by a physician. The physicians evaluated 98 per cent of patients as ‘improved’ or better on the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale.

The investigators concluded that the treatment is safe and efficient, producing the required results. The treatment is easy to use, there are minimal postprocedure events and the outcome was desirable. CaHA is deemed as safe and the benefits are efficient and the treatment option is non-intrusive.

Not only is Radiesse more viscous that hyaluronic acid – which is the main ingredient in most fillers – but the combination of reduced treatment time and volume of the product required to get the desired effect, not to mention its longevity, make it a much less expensive option.

Is it for you?

If you’re uncomfortable about ageing hands and would like to see what options are available it would definitely be worth enquiring about Radiesse. Since the treatment is easy and painless to administer there are no difficult or lengthy procedures to go through. It’s also completely safe and there is no risk of damaging your hands in any way.

Talk to your aesthetic practitioner, who will be able to provide you with information and advice on Radiesse. The treatment may not be suitable for everyone so you can ask any questions you may have and learn more about what’s involved in the treatment.