CaHA · PCL · Hyaluronic Acid · Pacific Plaza
Radiesse vs Ellansé is a comparison of two collagen-stimulating fillers, calcium hydroxylapatite and polycaprolactone, and both are usually weighed against hyaluronic acid (HA) filler. All three are offered at Atelier. They differ in what they are made of, how the result builds and, most of all, in whether they can be dissolved, so Dr Sin Yong chooses by zone rather than by brand.
Hyaluronic acid filler is a cross-linked gel of a sugar your skin already makes. It holds water and occupies space from the moment it is placed, and it prompts little new collagen. Its defining property is that the enzyme hyaluronidase breaks it down. See dermal fillers.
Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA): small microspheres in a gel carrier. The gel gives shape on the day; as it is absorbed, collagen forms around the microspheres. Diluted, it can also be placed more superficially to thicken crepey skin on the neck or hands.
Ellansé is polycaprolactone (PCL): microspheres in a carboxymethylcellulose gel. It also gives volume on the day, and its collagen stimulation is more substantial, continuing after the early volume has gone.
Neither Radiesse nor Ellansé responds to hyaluronidase. That single fact shapes almost every decision below. Why biostimulators and HA are different tools in general is covered in biostimulators vs HA filler; this page compares the three materials directly.
Side By Side
The table compares how each material behaves, not which is better. Durations are left out because none can be promised.
| HA filler | Radiesse (CaHA) | Ellansé (PCL) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy or mechanism | Cross-linked gel that fills space; little collagen stimulation | Microspheres in a gel carrier: volume on the day, then collagen | Microspheres in a gel: volume on the day, then collagen that continues after the gel has gone |
| Depth and target | Deep on bone for support, or small soft amounts in lips and tear troughs | Deep, on or near bone; diluted, more superficial for skin of the neck and hands | Deep, on bone or in deep fat |
| Can it be dissolved? | Yes, with hyaluronidase | No | No |
| Typical sessions | Assessed at consultation; adjusted once swelling settles | Placed conservatively, then judged at a later visit | Staged: a conservative first placement, judged once the gel has gone |
| Comfort and numbing | Numbing cream; many HA fillers contain lidocaine | Numbing cream and local anaesthetic | Numbing cream and local anaesthetic |
| Downtime | Swelling and bruising; more in lips and under the eyes | Swelling, tenderness, possible bruising and firmness | Swelling, tenderness, possible bruising and temporary firmness |
| When results show | On the day; true shape once swelling settles | Some on the day; collagen builds over months | Gel volume softens over weeks; collagen forms over months |
| Who it suits | Anyone for whom reversibility matters, including first-time filler | Structural support where reversibility matters less | Longer structural support, with irreversibility accepted |
| At Atelier | Offered at Atelier | Offered at Atelier | Offered at Atelier |
By Zone
None of the three improves skin texture or hydration on its own terms. If the complaint is dull or thin skin rather than lost volume, a skin booster is the more fitting question.
The Two Stimulators
Both are used for structure and both give shape on the day. The difference is the material and the tempo of what follows. Ellansé's polycaprolactone stimulates more collagen, and it is made in formulations that resorb at different rates; it is designed to outlast Radiesse, and Radiesse in turn usually lasts longer than most HA fillers. Radiesse is more often diluted for skin quality, and it shows on X-ray.
Longevity is a weak reason to choose. A longer-lasting product placed where it was not needed is a longer-lasting problem. Both materials also share the specific risk of firm nodules, and a lump from either is examined, sometimes with imaging, and managed rather than dissolved.
How Atelier Decides
Dr SY examines volume loss, bony support and skin quality zone by zone, then asks about every injectable you have had. Earlier product is located before anything new goes in, because a biostimulator placed over old filler cannot be taken back out. The written plan names the material for each zone and explains why; it may also say that filler is not the right tool at all, for instance where heavy skin needs a lifting plan or a surgical opinion.
Wait if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have infection, inflammation or broken skin near the area. Allergy to a component, blood thinners or a bleeding tendency, autoimmune disease and keloid tendency are discussed first. If you want the option of undoing the result, choose HA. The broader protocol is on volume restoration.
Atelier Aesthetics · Owned by AYA
9 Scotts Road, Pacific Plaza #12-01A, Singapore 228210 · +65 8023 7170
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