- Instantly adds youthful volume to the face
- Helps your body create its own new collagen
- Lasts about twice as long as hyaluronic acid facial fillers
Dr. Eric Egozi has been using Sculptra since 2007, and has more experience with it than any other plastic surgeon in the Tampa Bay area.
Dr. Egozi answers questions about Sculptra Aesthetic
What is Sculptra Aesthetic?
“Sculptra Aesthetic is an injectable facial filler made of a bio-compatible, bio-degradable substance called poly-l lactic acid, or PLLA. Sculptra works especially well in filling out sunken or hollow cheeks, and lasts for up to two full years—about twice as long as hyaluronic acid facial fillers like Juvéderm or Restylane.”
How was Sculptra Aesthetic developed?
“PLLA has been used in surgery for more than 30 years to make dissolvable sutures. Over the years, researchers discovered that as the body breaks down PLLA, it makes collagen. This led them to develop an injectable form of PLLA, which they named Sculptra.
“Sculptra was originally approved by the FDA in 2004 to treat lipoatrophy—extreme thinning of the face. But because Sculptra was working so well for that purpose, plastic surgeons started using it in the cosmetic arena. In July 2009, the FDA approved Sculptra Aesthetic for treating facial wrinkles.”
What do you see as the advantages of Sculptra?
“I’ve been very happy with Sculptra for two reasons:
- “It works to replace the body’s tissue with your own collagen, as opposed to other dermal fillers, where I’m simply injecting the product into the space I want to fill.
- “I like to think of Sculptra as a broad-stroke brush, as opposed to hyaluronic acid fillers, which I consider fine-stroke brushes. Sculptra can fill bigger areas—so I like to use it in the cheeks, jawline and temples rather than in smaller areas like the lips, to get fullness where people lose volume in the face.”
What makes Sculptra last longer than other dermal fillers?
“The tissue that gets built up after a Sculptra treatment is your body’s own collagen—it’s not hyaluronic acid that your body is going to break down after a while.”
What happens to facial skin as we age?
- “People lose elasticity in their skin and it droops; and
- “We tend to lose volume in the face.”
Can Sculptra replace a facelift?
“In some cases, Sculptra can postpone the need for a surgical facelift. It’s ideal for people who feel like their face is starting to age. They don’t want a mini-facelift yet, but would like to do something to rejuvenate their face.
“Sculptra virtually works like a liquid facelift. You inject the material and it fills out the face. And as it pulls on the skin, it gets rid of many of the wrinkles.
“The thing I like about Sculptra is that you’re replacing your own body’s collagen. You can put Sculptra exactly where you want it and literally sculpt the face.”
How long does it take to see the full effect of a Sculptra treatment?
“Sculptra starts having an effect right away, but the maximum effect takes six to eight weeks. The PLLA in Sculptra is suspended in water. So when you inject the suspension, a couple of days later the water is reabsorbed by the body and what’s left behind is the PLLA powder in those areas. When that powder breaks down, it builds up collagen.”
How many Sculptra treatments are usually needed?
“It depends on how much volume we’re trying to replace. We recommend doing treatments every six to eight weeks. Most patients need about 3 treatments.”
Do Sculptra treatments hurt?
“I mix local anesthetic with Sculptra, so no other anesthetic is needed. There’s little or no bruising and patients can go right back to their normal activities after a Sculptra treatment.”
Do you ever use Sculptra on patients who have had a facelift?
“Yes. After a few years, gravity can cause even facelift patients to lose volume in their face and get a tired look, though they have no jowls. The tired look usually comes from cheeks being hollowed and getting a sunken look under the eyes. Sculptra can fill out those sunken areas and instantly rejuvenate the face.” |
