In the news ... 2007

Another Option for Facial Wasting: Radiesse

January 22, 2006

On December 22, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of Radiesse, manufactured by Bio-Form Medical. Radiesse is used for treating the facial wasting associated with HIV disease.

Radiesse is a semi-solid gel containing a chemical called calcium hydroxyapatite. Calcium hydroxyapaptie is one of the major components of bone and teeth and has been used before for other medical conditions. It is injected in the skin using a thin needle(25 gauge), and works by stimulating the production of collagen to fill in hollowed out areas of skin. Radiesse is already approved for several other uses, including smoothing facial wrinkles.

Radiesse joins Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) as approved treatments for people with HIV who have lost fat on their faces. This loss of fat, sometimes called lipoatrophy, is the most visible form of a broader condition known as lipodystrophy. This condition can include the loss of fat in the face, arms, legs and buttocks; the gain of fat in the abdomen, breasts, around the neck and on the shoulders; and increases is blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

While each of these conditions can be harmful, facial wasting can be uniquely upsetting for individuals, because it changes possibly the most personal part of a person’s appearance—the face. This often leads to social isolation and depression. Fear of this physical change leads many people to delay starting HIV drugs and may contribute to poor adherence.

The approval of Radiesse was based on a study of 100 people with HIV with facial wasting. People took either 1, 2 or 3 treatments of Radiesse. Researchers measured cheek thickness and self-reported patient satisfaction. After six months, people gained an average of around 2.5 mm in each cheek; most also reported feeling better about the way they looked.

The most common problems with Radiesse were swelling, bruising and pain around the injection site. These problems usually lasted a short time and didn’t lead people to stop their treatments.

As with Sculptra, one of the major issues for Radiesse is likely to be its cost and whether any public or private insurance companies will pay for all or part of it. Project Inform has not been able to find any information on a patient assistance program or other help for people who need help to pay for this treatment.

Go to www.radiesse.com for more information about Radiesse.

Go to www.sculptra.com for more information about Sculptra.