Sculptra is a treatment that restores your youthful appearance with natural-looking, long-lasting results.
Referred to by some physicians as a facelift in a bottle, Sculptra represents a new and unique non-invasive option to reduce the visible signs of aging and help facial skin naturally regain a more youthful and natural-looking appearance.
Derived from fruit acids, Sculptra is a biocompatible and biodegradable injectable material that naturally stimulates the body to produce its own collagen.
Sculptra works by increasing the volume of depressed areas over a short period of time. After just 2-3 treatments at 6-week intervals, the result is a fuller, smoother, more youthful and natural-looking face with less pronounced lines, creases, wrinkles and folds. Unlike traditional treatments, Sculptra results can last up to 2 years.
Not all anti-aging treatments are the same.
Collagen creams: Collagen creams do not fully penetrate to the dermis, so most topical treatments are as effective as moisturizers that briefly improve the skin’s appearance.
Collagen supplements: When ingested, the digestive system breaks down collagen proteins and their effectiveness remains inconclusive.
Neurotoxins: Neurotoxins such as Botox and Dysport temporarily weaken muscles to minimize frown lines in the forehead, crows feet outside the eyes and frown lines but do not restore lost volume to the face. Results typically last a couple months.
Fillers: Fillers work immediately to fill in lines, wrinkles and folds, but the effect of most fillers is much shorter-lasting than that of Sculptra, which can last up to 2 years once enough of your body’s own collagen is restored.
Dr. Samuels likes to refer to Sculptra as a patient’s longterm volumizer, to which less filler will need to be added for a periodic quick-fix. This type of volumizing also prevents fattening one’s face as too much filler can do.
Before being treated with Sculptra, Dr. Samuels and her nurse providers assess you to see if you’re a good candidate for this product and to determine the appropriate injection sites for results that best meet your expectations. No skin pre-testing is required.
The number of treatment sessions depend on various factors such as your age, how deep your wrinkles are and the areas you wish to treat. At your initial treatment, Dr. Samuels will also discuss whether and how many follow-up treatments may be required. Generally, Sculptra is injected in 3 treatment sessions over a 3-4-month period at 4-6-week intervals. Over this time, deep lines and wrinkles gradually diminish and the skin firms up as your own collagen is produced.
Each treatment session involves multiple small-needle injections on each side of your face. Dr. Samuels may choose to use a local anesthetic to reduce discomfort. You may experience mild soreness and swelling in the treatment areas for a few hours up to a few days after treatment. Most patients may apply makeup within a few hours of treatment.
Much of the initial injected volume disappears after the first week as Sculptra is absorbed and swelling subsides. This can make your original skin depressions reappear, but depressions should gradually improve within several weeks as the treatment effect occurs.
You will be told to thoroughly massage the treated areas for 7 minutes 7 times daily for 7 days after each treatment. This allows for even distribution of the product and to ensure natural-looking results. Because the production of new collagen formation is gradual, each treatment session will yield results that are more noticeable. Individual results may vary and you may need touch-up treatments to maintain best results.
A complete treatment typically costs $1100 per vial and typically requires one vial for the upper and midface and one vial for the lower face and jawline. After reaching a corrected level of collagen formation (we estimate one vial per decade of age), most patients require maintenance injections of 1-2 vials every 2-4 years, depending on how quickly volume loss occurs in each patient.
To optimize your comfort, Dr. Samuels and her nurse providers may choose a local anesthetic and the application of ice in the treatment area prior to injecting. This also drastically reduces post-injection bruising. We may also recommend an oral arnica and bromelaine pre-treatment called SynEcch.
Each Sculptra treatment session generally takes about 30-40 minutes depending on the number of areas treated and the effects you wish to achieve.
Yes. Sculptra is a safe, non-invasive procedure that has been used in the cosmetic dermatology field since 1999. The product is highly bio-compatible and biodegradable. Sculptra is made from a material called poly-L-lactic acid which has been widely used 30+ years in dissolvable sutures, soft tissue implants and other types of implants.
Any type of injection involves the risk of infection. Side effects are usually temporary and minimal; they range from redness to slight bruising, bleeding, small bumps, tenderness, pain or swelling. Side effects generally last 1-15 days on average.
Palpable but non-visible micro papules may develop under the skin of the treated area. These will occasionally disappear on their own. Visible bumps, and redness to the treated area have also been reported.
For more information about Sculptra or to see if you’re a good candidate for this procedure, schedule a consultation with Dr. Samuels at 502-897-9411.
Our practice serves Louisville, KY and the surrounding areas.
