Think of it as a safer collagen that lasts about a year instead of a few weeks. Radiesse® is a semi-solid injectable implant material. The principal component of Radiesse® is synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca HA), a biomaterial with over 20 years of use in orthopedics, dentistry, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology. Ca HA is the primary mineral constituent of bone and teeth. Tiny microspheres of Ca HA (25-45 micron) is suspended in a gel carrier that consists of water, glycerin, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose. The gel is absorbed by the body and replaced with soft tissue growth, while the Ca HA remains at the site of injection. The result is long-term restoration and augmentation.