Sculptra
Depending on heredity or sometimes even illness, certain features of our face can take on a thin, sunken appearance, but now Sculptra can help. Sculptra is the FDA approved dermal filler made of injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLA). Compounds injected into and under the skin surface to fill in wrinkles, lines, scars or plump lips are known as dermal fillers. This technique/procedure is used to assist in reversing the effects of aging by returning the skin surface to its more youthful state.
Dermal fillers help to reduce wrinkles, fill in scars, and replace soft tissue that has been depleted by general aging and breakdown of collagen. Initially FDA approved for restoration of facial fat loss in people with human immunodeficiency virus, Sculptra has been found to be very effective in filling in depleted facial volume brought on by aging or illness. It has been safely used for cosmetic correction for scars and wrinkles in Europe since the late 1990’s. Sculptra also goes by the name NuFill.
The loss of fat beneath the skin results in sunken cheeks, indentations and hollow eyes. Once injected into the skin, Sculptra stimulates the formation of collagen which will provide the gradual increase in skin thickness, improving the appearance of folds and sunken areas over time. This is advantageous for those who want to avoid the obvious signs of having a cosmetic procedure done. Many find the effects excellent for filling in the fat loss in the back of hands from aging and the upper chest for those deep creases.
With Sculptra no skin testing is required. Injections may require 3-5 treatments every 4-6 weeks initially. Improvement is seen gradually over the next few months as the natural production of collagen plumps sagging skin. Effects of the Sculptra procedure have been reported to last up to two years, however touch up treatments may be needed by some patients (especially those using Sculptra due to a medical condition) to maintain desired results. Side effects of this procedure sometimes include bruising, swelling, redness or lumps at injection site. This procedure is very effective because it requires no downtime. In addition, this dermal filler can be used effectively in conjunction with Botox®, Restylane and IPL treatments such as Fotofacial in order to further enhance the look and feel of facial skin. |
