Sculptra

Sculptra is injected below the surface of the skin in the area of fat loss such as upper cheeks, temples, back of the hands as well as chin. It stimulates the production of natural collagen and provides a gradual increase in skin thickness. Visible results appear within the first few treatment sessions. Because Sculptra is non-toxic and non-immunogenic – no skin test is required prior to the initiation of therapy.

Sculptra treatments are designed for patients who desire increased skin firmness, support as well as increased volume in the area of concern. The most popular areas that can benefit from Sculptra treatments are facial regions such as cheeks, chin, nasolabial folds (the lines running from the corner of the mouth to the sides of the nose,) marionette lines (the lines running from the corner of the mouth to the chin,) temples as well as the back of the hand. In summary, any area that will benefit from increased skin firmness and volume can be considered a good candidate for Sculptra treatment.

No. Although after your first treatment visit, it may appear that Sculptra worked immediately because of swelling from the injections and the water used to reconstitute the product, in a few days, when the swelling goes down and the water is absorbed by your body, you may look as you did before your treatment. Sculptra takes time to gradually correct the depression in your skin. The beauty of Sculptra is that it gradually improves the appearance of the skin and increases collagen production.

Dr. Sapijaszko and his team will answer all of your questions and prepare you for the treatment starting with the consultation and then before and during the treatment. Make-up will be removed and the area where the injections will be given will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution. In most cases, topical and/or local anesthetic will be used to help with the discomfort. Sculptra will be injected in small amounts into the skin using a very fine needle. Multiple injections will be needed and an ice pack will be applied to the treatment area to help reduce swelling. Furthermore, the treatment session will be concluded with a thorough massage of the treated area to distribute the product evenly.

Patients usually require three monthly treatments to achieve desired results. With each treatment, there is stimulation of neo-collagenases secondary to small Sculptra particles. It is important to note that the initial studies demonstrate an increase in skin thickness as early as 6 weeks after injection. The duration of desired effects can be up to 96 weeks making Sculptra a unique product for treating physicians as well as patients. Of course, touch-up treatments may be needed to maintain the desired effect.

Immediately following a treatment session with Sculptra, redness, swelling, pain, bruising or all of these signs can happen in the treatment area. These signs usually go away in a few hours to a few days. Some have been known to last up to 17 days. Dr. Sapijaszko and his team will give you specific post-treatment care instructions. You should massage the treated area (a few times each day) for several days after the treatment session. Within the first 24 hours after treatment, an ice pack should be applied for a few minutes at a time to the treatment area to help reduce swelling. Wrap the ice in a cloth and avoid putting ice directly on your skin. Avoid excessive sun and UV lamp exposure until any initial swelling and redness have resolved. A follow-up appointment will be arranged to review your progress and answer any questions that you may have.

The most common side effects with the use of Sculptra include injection-related side effects at the site of the injection such as bleeding, tenderness or pain, redness, bruising, or swelling. These side effects generally last, on average, 3 to 17 days. One possible delayed side effect with Sculptra can be small bumps under the skin in the treated area. These small bumps may not be visible, and you may notice them only when you press on the treated skin. These bumps tend to happen within the first 6 to 12 months after the first treatment. Occasionally, these bumps go away on their own. Visible bumps, sometimes with redness or color change to the treated area, have also been reported. As with all procedures that involve an injection through the skin, there is a risk of infection.