For those looking to bring back youthful contours and revitalize facial features, Sculptra may be the right treatment for you.
The unique qualities of Sculptra were producing amazing results in Europe for over a decade before its arrival here in the United States. At first, Sculptra was introduced to correct the facial thinning in those inflicted with HIV. The stunning aesthetic improvements and overwhelming safety of these treatments led to the FDA approval of this unique filler for cosmetic use in 2009.
To value how Sculptra is different from other facial fillers, a little knowledge of the facial aging process is helpful. The face begins to show the signs of aging most notably by the loss of facial volume. This loss of volume in the face is similar to a balloon that loses air or volume. That is, as air or volume is lost, the balloon becomes lax, sags, and wrinkles. Unfortunately, a similar unrelenting process is occurring in our faces as seen here.
I commonly explain to my patients that the loss of volume is occurring deep to the skin. Examples of this are the loss of facial fatty tissue, collagen, and even the thickness and width of the bones in our face. Facial volume truly does give support and structure to the skin, thereby keeping the skin firm around the cheeks, eyes, jaw-line and mouth. For example, the loss of volume in our temples causes our eyebrows to drop and creates an aged and hollowed appearance to our upper face.
However, most current fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, and Radiesse are excellent gels but are typically placed in superficial lines or folds. In contrast, Sculptra is placed deep in the tissues providing optimal volume correction where it’s needed most and as a side benefit slows the progression of the aging face. Sculptra works by stimulating your own tissues to produce collagen. Consequently, Sculptra is considered a new class of facial fillers, known as bio-stimulators.
The results of Sculptra are long lasting, with results lasting at least two years. I believe the treatments should be performed in a series, with treatment sessions typically spaced every 6 to 8 weeks apart. Most patients require 2 to 4 treatments to meet their goals. Some of the main advantages of Sculptra include virtually no downtime, little to no discomfort, and the results are gradual and natural, so friends, family, and co-workers will not know that you’re having anything done. Consequently, Sculptra has become one of the most popular filler choices for my patients.
The pictures below are representative of the results achievable with Sculptra. This gentleman had 4 vials of Sculptra placed in his cheeks and surrounding areas over the course of three treatment sessions. Notice how he continues to look natural but more youthful. The photos have not been altered.
Timothy R. Miller, M.D.
Sculptra Performed by Dr. Miller
