Sculptra® Aesthetic is a fantastic choice for a non-surgical, office-based cosmetic injection procedure. Although technically not considered a dermal filler, Sculptra® does compete with all the other injectable filler products, such as Juvederm®, Restylane®, Bellafill® and Radiesse®. Sculptra® is better categorized as what we call a bio-stimulant since the cosmetic results that are seen after injection are due to stimulation of the body’s collage production. The product is comprised of poly-L-lactic acid, which is a biocompatible material found in many sutures used during cosmetic surgery. This version of poly-L-lactic acid is suspended in a liquid solution that is used for sculpting the face by injection. Once Sculptra® is injected into the soft tissues of the face it automatically triggers a response from your body to create collagen. It is this natural collagen response that is responsible for the esthetic changes seen – consisting of a more rested and youthful facial contour.
Whereas dermal fillers result in a fairly immediate cosmetic improvement, Sculptra® acts much differently. At the conclusion of your Sculptra® treatment, you will see more volume in the areas that were injected. In fact, we often times refer to this as the so-called preview phase of Sculptra®, which is immediately after the office-based treatment. Right after the Sculptra® has been placed under the skin, there is an obvious, visible plumping of the tissues. This is precisely the goal of Sculptra® – to sculpt the face by adding desired volume in certain areas. Within several days, however, that initial volumizing effect begins to disappear, which is completely normal when it comes to Sculptra® treatment. However, over the following weeks and months, your body’s collagen will be stimulated to respond to the Sculptra® leading to a nice, beautiful volume enhancement.
Sculptra® Treatment
Sculptra® treatment is done routinely as an office-based procedure in a manner identical to getting other dermal fillers. There is a slightly longer preparation time for Sculptra® given the need to mix some anesthetic solution into the vial. But this literally takes 1-2 minutes. Our experienced medical spa staff will recommend a certain number of Sculptra® vials for you based on the amount of volume deficiency your examination shows. One common rule of thumb you will here when it comes to Sculptra® is one vial per decade of life. So, if you are 50 years old, you may need up to 5 vials of Sculptra® to achieve an ideal result. However, this is not a hard and fast rule when it comes to Sculptra® treatment. There are certainly patients who require more or less vials than their stated age would, otherwise, dictate. Our staff will ultimately help you decide on the appropriate amount of Sculptra® for your individual needs. Not all recommended vials will be injected during your first Sculptra® visit. Most may be placed at that visit. But our staff may also recommend waiting 6-8 weeks before the remaining vials of Sculptra® are injected. This allows for more proper reshaping and sculpting of your face. Typically, our Sculptra® patients see results that last about two (2) years, which is much longer than most of the other dermal filler treatments.
