What Is Sculptra and What Can It Do For Me?

Sculptra is a facial injectable that has been used throughout Europe since 1999. Europe is known to have the newest Facial Fillers before the U.S. because of the lengthy testing that the FDA puts all facial injectables through.

It fills in sunken eyes, wrinkled skin folds, hollowed cheeks, and indented chin surfaces.

Sculptra is injected by a doctor into areas of facial fat loss (facial lipoatrophy) in patients with, or receiving treatment for, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Is Sculptra FDA Approved?

Yes, it was approved August 3rd, 2004.

How Long Does Sculptra Last?

Up to two years.

How Much Does Sculptra Cost?

Each syringe costs between $450 and $550. The amount that the plastic surgeon or dermatologist charges you will vary, but don’t expect to pay for just the syringes. It would be irresponsible for me to tell you how much it costs because it depends on how much the Doctor decides to inject, and how much they charge to do the procedure.

However on average the procedure costs between $750 and $1,900 per treatment. There are many ways to finance the procedure, from loans to even getting your insurance to pay for the procedure.

Before and After Photos of Sculptra Patients

I can’t host before and after pictures here due to legal reasons, but I found a ton of before and after pictures here.

What Are The Risks?

Side Effects are usually temporary, and if present will disappear within 3 to 15 days. You may have tenderness, redness, bruising or swelling at the site of the injection. Other side effects may include small bumps under the skin in the treated area which may appear over time. These bumps are not always visible, and often are only detected by pressing on the skin.

Areas that receive a Sculptra injection should be massaged a few times each day for several days after the procedure. Following the procedure an ice pack should be applied for a few minutes at a time to the treatment area to help reduce swelling for the first 24 hours after treatment. To avoid direct contact with the skin place the ice in a cloth. It is also recommend that excessive sun and/or UV lamp exposure be avoided until any visible swelling and redness has subsided. Sculptra has safely been used since 1999 in over 150,000 patients world-wide under the trade name New-Fill.

How Can I Find A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?

If you’re interested in the procedure and looking for a qualified plastic surgeon in your area use this search tool. This site is great, and it’s fun using their Google Maps ™ surgeon finder.

Board Certification is important, so make sure you research which boards are real and which are fake.

Here is a pretty good video (although old, November 2006) that shows patients being injected with facial fillers like Juvederm and Sculptra. The results are more natural and subtle than face lifts. Sculptra is reported as lasting up to two years.

If you’re sick and tired of people asking you “Did you get enough sleep? You look so tired!” then facial fillers can help. As people age, their faces ’sink’. Facial fillers will fill them in and restore your natural beauty. Your friends won’t be able to tell that you’ve had plastic surgery, and everyone will think you look great.

Everybody loves top 5’s. What are the five most popular facial fillers? I don’t know.. but here’s my top 5 list anyways.

5) ArteColl ®/ ArteFill ® – This is the first injectable to provide a permanent support solution to fill wrinkles and prevent further wrinkling. (In the United States, ArteColl ® is approved strictly for correction of nasolabial folds.)

4) Sculptra ® - An injectable made of synthetic polylactic acid contained in microspheres, Sculptra ® is the first FDA-approved injectable for the restoration of lost facial volume (correction of lipoatrophy) in people with HIV infection.

3) Radiesse ® (formerly known as Radiance) - This is a synthetic dermal filler made of calcium hydroxyapatite is utilized for the correction of moderate to severe wrinkles and folds. This injectable is a longer-lasting filler because the body forms collagen around the microspheres; adding bulk to the injected areas.

2) Restylane ® – A non-animal, biodegradable gel composed of hyaluronic acid, Restylane ® is a soft tissue filler that adds volume to the skin through tiny injections; smoothing facial folds and wrinkles in areas around the mouth and eyes.

1) Juvederm ™ – Made of a hyaluronic acid gel, Juvederm ™ is a naturally-occurring substance in the skin that contributes to volume and hydration. Juvederm ™ is designed to temporarily correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds.

Image courtesy of fairesplasticsurgery.com