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For years, we’ve seen all kinds of aesthetic and cosmetic procedures pop up everywhere. Who hasn’t heard of “The New Big Thing”? Whether it be on social media, TV, or through good old-fashioned face-to-face chitchat.
For years, dermal fillers have been all the rage. Their name is pretty self-explanatory, but we can never know too much about something. Especially when that “something” is going into our bodies. This article will summarize everything about Sculptra. Its uses, benefits, side effects, and the comparison of Sculptra to other fillers.
It's a general term we use to refer to the various injectable gels doctors employ to shape and augment our lips, restore lost fullness, and even mimic a more appealing bone structure.
The bulk of FDA-approved dermal fillers in use in the United States is based on Hyaluronic acid, a transient sugar (HA). Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers tend to have results that stay from ten to twelve months, and some can last much longer depending on their level of cross-linking. And the volume they add solely depends on the volume of filler that has been injected.
There are however dermal fillers on the market who, instead of filling the space themselves, stimulate the natural process of collagen production. That’s where they get their designation, Biostimulitory.
As opposed to HA fillers, which physically fill the targeted area, Biostimulatory fillers encourage and activate the natural collagen production process. By making the skin do the plumping process all on its own, biostimulatories like Sculptra guarantee longer-lasting effects than those of their HA counterparts.
Patients looking to achieve actual skin rejuvenation as opposed to short-term cosmetic tweaks,
Tend to favor the Biostimulatory options. While their effects are not instantaneous, they last way longer than HA fillers, up to two times longer (up to twenty-four months).
All of this brings us to our chosen candidate when it comes to dermal filler solutions, Sculptra (PLLA).
Sculptra Aesthetic is a dermal filler, a solution for aging, tightness, plumpness, and general skin rejuvenation and restoration. It is a collagen stimulator administered as an injectable treatment. Now it may sound too good to be true, but it really is not. HA fillers solve the problem of wrinkles and lost facial volume by injecting a biodegradable, passive sugar (hyaluronic acid) into the skin, Sculptra does not fill the gap itself but stimulates the natural process that produces collagen, giving the skin a new life.
Sculptra is a Biostimulatory dermal filler solution that promotes the cellular production of collagen. It is composed of a synthetic, biocompatible polymer by the name of poly-L-lactic acid.
Poly-L-lactic acid quite literally stimulates the collagen production process. It can be thought of as a self-help book, helping the skin dial back the clock using its own facilities.
The main difference between Hyaluronic acid fillers and their Biostimulatory counterparts resides in the fact that the latter’s effects are virtually irreversible (we say virtually because both solutions are limited by a time frame with the biostimulatory effects lasting longer than those of the Hyaluronic acid). As opposed to the HA fillers, whose effects can be easily reversed with the use of Hyaluronidase (an enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic acid).
Time takes its toll on all, especially on the skin. Simply staying up late, or living life to the fullest and laughing all the way through it can make one look older than they are. Overall facial aging (facial wrinkles & fine lines), nasolabial fold, lost collagen, decreased facial volume (facial lipoatrophy or facial fat loss). These are well-known and dreaded concerns when on the subject of facial plastic surgery and aesthic body contouring.
In areas where a substantial amount of filling is needed, the best solution is to help the skin fix the problem itself. For the temples, the nasolabial folds (areas surrounding the nose on either side, generally affected by smile lines or laugh lines).
Most doctors agree that Sculptra is the ideal solution for such delicate areas. The fact that it makes the body fill the gaps itself with its own collagen results in the effects of Sculptra being exponential, and virtually indiscernible from how the young skin normally behaves. Making Sculptra the best incognito solution for aging and skin repair.
For the first day or two after the Sculptra injection has been administered, the area in which it was injected shows swelling and bloating. That is perfectly normal, it is merely water weight. After the body has had time to absorb the totality of the saline solution (or sterile water), the swelling goes away.
As soon as it is injected, Sculptra starts to speed up the rate of production of collagen. The latter being the protein responsible for providing the extracellular connective tissue, the structure it needs, thus it is crucial for giving the skin its flexible, stretchy, and wear and tear-resisting qualities.
Unlike Hyaluronic acid fillers, the effects of Sculptra treatment, it being a Biostimulatory filler, are not noticed right away. For visible results, the patient is going to need to wait from 5 to 12 weeks.
That is due to the fact that as opposed to HA filler(which fills the void itself), Sculptra stimulates the production of collagen. IT then does Its job of filling the dermal layer and giving the skin a new life.
As a powdered blend of Poly-L-lactic micro-particles, mannitol (preservative), and Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (emulsifier), Sculptra is delivered to a doctor's office in a glass vial. The dry mixture becomes a viscous suspension with the addition of the proper amount of saline solution (or sterile water).
as it has been explained, after being injected, "the PLLA functions like scaffolding, creating a structure on which collagen may grow and making it easier for your body to manufacture more of the protein."
When tackling the most common forms of wear and tear affecting the skin. Like hollow cheeks, laugh, and smile lines, most doctors agree on one dermal filler injection technique— Cross-hatch injection.
Cross-hatching is an injection technique in which the filler is injected in a grid pattern. Lines of filler are injected in a parallel manner, followed by a series of perpendicular lines.
Cross-hatching is used to cover a larger area of the skin, all while avoiding making too many injections or saturating an area by pumping too much filler directly in one spot. This is where Sculptra shines. By not filling the space itself and stimulating the skin to produce its own collagen, Sculptra doesn’t cause swelling beyond the initial water-weight bloating, which is gone by the end of the second day after the injection at the latest.
Sculptra is mostly used to give a new, refreshed, and youthful appearance to the skin. Most doctors and practitioners use Sculptra in the facial area; nonetheless, it is perfectly suitable for use to treat the skin on any part of the body, especially for Brazilian butt lift (BBL). Sculptra remains the most administered product on the market today when it comes to Brazilian butt lift procedures worldwide. This is due to its safety and low complication risk compared to other forms of butt augmentations.
Doctors also use Sculptra to give a glow and get rid of wrinkles and stretch marks on patients' skin after childbirth. It is also used on the neck, upper chest, inner arms and thighs, and all around the knees. A deficit of collagen is the main reason for the problems affecting these areas. Sculptra solves this very problem effectively.
The facts that we’ve just been through lead us to the conclusion that Sculptra is a safe, efficient, and downright ideal anti-aging solution. Its appeal is due to the fact that it only stimulates an already existing bodily function.
It can last two years depending on each individual's body type and metabolism.
Yes it does have a skin tightening effect.
For the purpose of increasing breast size, it is not really recommended. Although many still use it for this purpose. Sculptra (PLLA) becoming too stiff inside the breasts is a source of worry. The best choice is fat transfer in this area. Stretch marks around the breasts can be treated with it though.
Sculptra also does an excellent job on the buttocks (BBL)!
Depending on the patient and individual case, it could be one injection session for mild corrections and multiple sessions for more severe cases.
Yes, it does.
No, since it is made of (PLLA) Poly L lactic, not hyaluronic acid. Therefore Hyaluronidase will not have any effect on it.
Sculptra can be purchased from various medical suppliers online and offline. Our team at Marx Med will be delighted to assist you with your Sculptra purchase order.
