What is Sculptra?
Sculptra is an FDA-approved injectable that helps gradually replace lost collagen—the most common protein in the body that is used to form the foundation to support cells and tissue of results. Essentially, rebuilding the foundation we have lost with the years of aging.
What Exactly Is Collagen?
Collagen is a fibrous protein found in the deep dermis that provides structure to the skin and supports the activities of elastin and hyaluronic acid (HA), enabling the skin to keep its contours while remaining smooth and hydrated. A healthy supply of collagen results in a more youthful complexion.
Why Do You Want to Incorporate Sculptra Into Your Anti-aging Strategy?
Sculptra is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to appear more youthful without looking like they had “work” done. The improvements with Sculptra happen subtly over the treatment protocol. It’s a great choice to use alone or can be used in conjunction with HA gel fillers, which provide a quick result.
How Does Sculptra Function?
Sculptra is made up of biocompatible and biodegradable microparticles of a collagen-stimulating ingredient. Sculptra is placed in the skin’s deep layer and gradually generates collagen over time for overall subtle improvement in volume loss, producing a more glowing complexion as it grows new blood supply to the area.
What Differentiates Sculptra From Fillers and Botox?
Sculptra, unlike dermal fillers (which fill) and Botox (which relaxes muscles), targets the root cause of facial aging, which is collagen loss. Fillers commonly last 9-12 months and do not produce new collagen. Botox lasts 3 months on average, not building collagen, but treating muscles that move and cause wrinkles. The collagen your body makes because of Sculptra treatments lasts 15 to 24 months. We recommend one booster session, yearly, to supplement your initial investment.
What Areas of the Face Can Sculptra Be Used to Treat?
Sculptra can be used to grow new collagen in the temples, the sides of the face for support, the cheeks, the nasal folds, the jaw, chin, and marionette.
What Areas Cannot Be Treated by Sculptra?
We are unable to treat around strong muscles such as the eyes and mouth due to the risk of particles clumping there, which is why home care massage is essential to evenly disperse the particles in the treated area.
How Many Sculptra Sessions Are Needed?
The protocol recommends one vial per decade of age, for a total of 4-6 vials. We’ve lost 25% of our collagen by the age of 40, which is why we recommend three visits to make up for the lost time.
Treatment consists of two vials per treatment session. On average, three injection appointments are necessary over a few months. We schedule the sessions 4-6 weeks apart to give the needed time for the body to build collagen.
How Long Can Sculptra Last?
The collagen your body makes because of Sculptra treatments lasts 15 to 24 months. We recommend yearly booster sessions to supplement your initial investment.
Am I Good Candidate for Sculptra?
Most everyone is a good candidate for Sculptra, we always advised a consultation and customized plan before we begin treatments. So you are informed about any risk, educated the overall treatment plan, and allows time for any further questions to be answered. People who are immunocompromised or on immune suppression therapy are not candidates for this treatment.
Is There Any Downtime or Aftercare With Sculptra?
Yes, after we plant those beautiful “seeds” that will grow collagen, we must massage the treated area for five minutes, five times per day for five days, retreat around the 5-week mark, and see results in as little as five months on average.
Any injection can cause redness, bruising, swelling, or tenderness.
Is Sculptra Better Than Fillers?
Filler is a gel filler that is injected beneath the skin to support the loss of fat pads that keep us looking young. The filler degrades over time, and many people require filler every year to maintain results. The fillers do not stimulate collagen; rather, they “fill” areas that have deflated as a result of aging.
Most aesthetic providers use both Sculptra and fillers to achieve pleasing results for their clients. We cannot, for example, inject Sculptra into the lips. Filler, Botox, chemical peels, micro needling, medical grade skin care, and SPF are all excellent tools to have in your toolbox.
How Else Can I Build a Collagen?
Other methods of collagen-building include RF micro-needling, which is an excellent option for treating around the mouth and eyes (Sculptra cannot be used there) and has some downtime (about a week) as well as some discomfort and downtime (which we manage with numbing cream and Pronox-laughing gas. This is a great choice for eyelids and the areas around the eyes, as well as the areas around the mouth.
PRF is also an all-natural option for helping to build collagen at the skin’s foundation layer.
Schedule a complimentary consultation with Lasting Beauty today to help identify your areas of concern and create a customized rejuvenation plan.
