If you want to know how to look younger in 2017, now is the time to get started. Sculptra aesthetic® is a cosmetic procedure that slowly builds collagen over time. Sculptra aesthetic® is an alpha hydroxy acid product called poly-l-lactic acid. This product is injected under the skin and stimulates skin cells to start producing collagen.
Unfortunately with age, those skin cells, known as fibroblasts, produce an enzyme that actually breaks collagen down. Because our collagen is being broken down, we start to see depressions and wrinkles in our skin. Sculptra reverses that trend by stimulating those cells to stop breaking down collagen and start producing it again. The increased collagen makes the skin thicker, smoother, and more youthful appearing. When placed strategically in the right locations, it can actually give the face a lift and make you look younger.
Sculptra aesthetic® comes in vials as a powder. Sterile water is mixed in to the vials to create a solution which is drawn into syringes. Lidocaine, a local anesthetic, is added to the solution to make the injections more comfortable. Most patients over age 50 will need a minimum of four vials. These vials can not be injected all at once. Usually the vials are injected over three treatment sessions spaced one to two months apart. For example, at the first treatment session, two vials may be injected. Two months later, one vial is injected and one month later, another vial is injected for a total of four vials.
The injections are performed in the temples, cheeks, and chin area. Sculptra aesthetic® is not used in the forehead or lips. Massage of the areas injected is recommended. The standard recommendation is to massage the areas five times a day for five minutes for five days. Massage prevents the formation of nodules which has been associated with Sculptra. While nodules are rare, if they develop they are usually deep, not visible, and disappear with time.
Collagen growth develops slowly so that you start to look younger with age! The improvement peaks at about 8 months and lasts at least two years from the first treatment. After two to three years, most patients will have another vial injected to maintain the improvement.
The following pictures show patients before and after Sculptra. The first patient is in her 50’s. You can see the difference in just 4 months but by one year she has a visibly fuller face and looks younger.
The second patient is in her late 60’s. Filling out the chin area can make you look younger by eliminating or at least reducing jowls that come with aging.
And the third patient is in her late 70’s and early 80’s. She has a noticeably fuller face as her skin has produced more collagen.
The treatments do not change your appearance but rather maintain or restore a healthy thickness to the skin. Sculptra aesthetic® treatments can be combined with other procedures such as neuromodulators and fillers. The results from Sculptra aesthetic® are quite natural looking.
In my practice, I find it to be the best anti-aging cosmetic treatment for facial skin.
