Sculptra is today’s modern approach to skin reconstruction and eventual rejuvenation. This treatment is a collagen stimulator that helps restore the skin’s structure, diminishing facial wrinkles and restoring your skin’s inner structure and volume. As Sculptra is absorbed, it helps stimulate your body’s natural production of collagen type 1 deep in the dermis. Those rebuilt collagen strands begin gradually restoring facial volume and bringing fullness back to areas with wrinkles and folds.
Today, let us learn everything there is to know about this treatment – what it is, how it works, and what benefits you can get from experiencing it. Read until the end and discover if Sculptra is the treatment for you.
What is Sculptra?
Sculptra is an FDA-approved injectable cosmetic filler that restores lost facial volume due to aging or illness. It contains poly-L-lactic acid, or PLLA, a biocompatible synthetic substance that stimulates collagen production. For those looking for a more youthful look, it can treat deep wrinkles, lines, and creases and is an excellent treatment for skin remodeling.
Furthermore, this treatment is ideal for people who want to look their best at any age, whether in their 30s or 60s. It helps you look like yourself, only younger and refreshed, and is painless, quick, and convenient. Sculptra provides long-lasting results without surgery or a long recovery time. It is an alternative to surgical procedures such as dermofat grafting and implants.
In addition, Sculptra is an excellent solution for a minimally invasive buttock lift, as it provides continuous results without downtime. Sculptra has been well-established as it has been used safely worldwide for more than ten (10) years.
Benefits of Sculptra
Sculptra offers many benefits resulting from increased collagen production, like the improved appearance of sagging skin, plumping of hollowing areas, and a more youthful appearance overall.
Sculptra can be injected or needled into the skin. Injections will be more targeted to specific areas — think temples, cheeks, or around the mouth — where microneedling will add an all-over, subtle rejuvenation to the skin. Another benefit to Sculptra treatments is that there is little to no downtime!
How Sculptra Works
When injected into the skin, Sculptra helps diminish facial wrinkles. PLLA, an agent of collagen stimulation, helps restore fullness to facial wrinkles and folds gradually. This event makes the skin softer and appears to be more youthful. Immediate results are noticeable immediately, but you might need a few months before seeing the full effects of your Sculptra treatment.
Your practitioner will work with you and devise a plan after determining the number of treatment sessions required to achieve the optimal result. On average, Sculptra regimens consist of three (3) injections spread out over three (3) or four (4) months.
The Sculptra Procedure
During the first consultation, your trained physician will ask you to provide your complete background medical history, which usually includes all medical conditions and allergies you had and still have.
On D-Day of your initial Sculptra procedure, your practitioner will mark and map out the injection sites on your skin using a marker, then cleanse the area. Topical anesthetics may be applied to aid with any potential discomfort. They will then create multiple small injections into your skin.
Afterward, returning to your normal activities right after your treatment is possible. Doctors will advise any special instructions if need be.
Common Treatment Areas for Sculptra
As a skin treatment used in reducing facial folds, fine lines, and wrinkles, Sculptra has also been clinically approved to treat smile lines or those unwanted lines created when we smile. In addition, this procedure also treats other types of wrinkles found around the nose and mouth, as well as chin wrinkles. Sculptra has many off label uses, including:
- correction of unwanted cellulite
- correction of wrinkles in the areas of the chest, elbows, and knees
- buttock augmentation or non-surgical butt lift
Additionally, Sculptra has become famous for those who want to bulk up their appearance. Furthermore, it is also being used in creating a more defined look, that of having extra muscle mass on the:
- biceps
- glutes
- pectorals
- thighs
- triceps
But one thing to remember is that Sculptra is not for use on the eyes or the lips.
What to Expect After Your Sculptra Treatment
Sculptra is an excellent alternative for facial sculpting because results appear gradually over time, so there is no “shock” to your system or how you look. It is an excellent long-term, low-maintenance treatment to help you maintain your youthful appearance. It is available in different volumes so you can choose according to your needs. For example, select Sculptra with low volume if you have a small face but want fuller cheeks. If your face is large and you want to make it look smaller, you can choose this treatment with a high volume.
Most patients can return to their normal activities after their Sculptra injections. Usual side effects, such as swelling and bruising, are mild and subside within a few days. Doing the following will help speed up your recovery and require no downtime:
- Apply ice packs to the treated area for a few minutes within the first 24 hours.
- After treatment, massage the area for five days for five (5) minutes at a time, five times (5x) a day.
- Avoid exposure to too much sunlight or tanning beds until any redness and swelling have resolved.
Moreover, results are gradual. Sculptra is known to have effects that may take a couple of weeks before seeing their full effects. Results last up to two (2) years.
Preparing for Your Sculptra Treatment
No special preparation is required for Sculptra treatments. You can reduce bleeding risks by asking your doctor about it. Usually, they will ask you to stop taking NSAIDs, the likes of which are the common meds, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. You need to do this step a few days before your treatment.
Potential Risks or Possible Side Effects
After receiving your Sculptra treatment, it is customary to see some swelling and bruising at the injection site. Other common side effects include:
- bleeding
- bumps
- itching
- pain
- redness
- tenderness
Patients who experienced irregular scarring before or anyone allergic to the ingredients of Sculptra shouldn’t use Sculptra. It would be best if you didn’t use it at the site of skin sores, acne, cysts, rashes, or other skin inflammation.
Sculptra Maintenance
How many injection appointments and the number of injections per appointment will greatly vary per individual. Depending on the amount of collagen lost on average, three (3) Sculptra injection appointments are needed over a few months. Maintenance injections are typically done every 9-12 months as desired after that.
Final Thoughts About Sculptra
Sculptra is among today’s modern approaches to skin rejuvenation. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider to take advantage of this skin treatment for your issues and concerns.
Do you want to try Sculptra for yourself? Our awesome friends at Fierce Aesthetics Med Spa can help you today. Visit them now!
