Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Dr. Michele GreenPhoto Credit: Photo by Dr. Michele Green
As our faces lose volume with age, it's common to lose elasticity, which contributes to the formation of wrinkles. This loss is largely due to the decline in natural collagen production that is responsible for providing a firmer framework which better supports the skin. With dermal fillers like Sculptra, patients can restore lost volume, smoothing away deep lines and wrinkles and even treating existing scars.
Sculptra ® Aesthetic is a novel injectable composed of a biocompatible and biodegradable synthetic material called poly-L-lactic acid. Sculptra is a unique injection since it promotes your own body to naturally produce new collagen and replace the lost volume.
What is novel about Sculptra is that it can be used on the face and body as well. Sculptra can be injected in various areas of the face including the cheeks, chin, jowls, temples, and jaw area. In addition, Sculptra can be used to replenish lost volume and skin laxity in the buttocks and lateral thighs, upper arms, decolletage, and upper knees. The “Brazilian butt lift” with Sculptra is fast becoming one of the most popular procedures in our office since it can give a buttock lift without surgery or any downtime.
HB: How does Sculptra work?
Sculptra takes a different approach to volume replacement than traditional fillers to achieve facial or body rejuvenation. Through a series of monthly cosmetic injections, typically three treatment sessions, lost volume and facial rejuvenation is restored producing your own new collagen. Sculptra doesn’t simply fill in wrinkles and creases like traditional fillers, it adds volume to the entire treatment area only where you need it. The patient comes into our office and the areas of volume loss gets evaluated. Dr. Green then formulates a treatment plan and injects one to two vials at a time to these areas after topical numbing cream is applied. Immediately after injection, the treatment area is massaged and the liquid Sculptra diffused. At home the patient must follow the rule of “5’s” and continue to massage the area for five days, five times a day for 5 minutes.
HB: Who is the best candidate for Sculptra?
The best candidate for this procedure is someone who wants a natural-looking approach to facial injections. In addition, patients who have sensitive thinner skin and skin laxity would be excellent candidates where traditional fillers would not be effective.
HB: Which areas of the body have been increased in popularity with Sculptra?
We have seen a huge surge in requests for injecting Sculptra in the buttocks to have a Sculptra BBL. Perhaps as a result of the Kim Kardashian craze, butt augmentation continues to grow in popularity. The butt lift with Sculptra is far easier and more natural looking than old-fashioned fat transfers. In addition, we have also seen a rise in Sculptra injections for the inner arms for skin laxity in older patients and Sculptra for the chest for the décolletage.
HB: What does recovery look like?
Recovery may include some swelling and bruising which can happen with any cosmetic injection but you can return to your daily activities with little or no down time. Sculptra is an outstanding cosmetic injection and has the ability to do pan-facial rejuvenation which makes it an excellent choice for my patients.
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