What is Sculptra?

Sculptra is a long lasting semi permanent filler that stimulates your own natural collagen when it is injected. It is fantastic at mimicking the lost volume from bone and soft tissues that occur with ageing and it is great at giving the skin a “sculptra glow” to your skin. Overtime it is broken down by the body into carbon dioxide and water. It has decades of safety data and one of the most loved dermal fillers by many senior medical aesthetic injectors.

 

That depends on the concern you want to address. As a general rule if you are in your 60s you may need 6-8 phials delivered in 2 phials in 3 or 4 sessions 6-8 weeks apart. Those in their 30s may just need 2 or 3.

It is great for volumising and strengthening the skin in the temples, cheeks, jawline, marionettes and chin areas.  It can’t be used close to the eyes or in the lips nor can it be reversed like hyaluronic acid fillers, so choose your physician carefully. 

 

Like all of the procedures done in my clinic all procedures are done with the minimal amount of discomfort as possible. For sculptra you will have local anaestetic injected in small blobs to allow the cannula to enter the skin. Cannulas are remarkably comfortable (unlike multiple needle injections). The Sculptra phial will also have local anaesthetic incooperated. This makes the whole experience much more comfortable. 

 

About 1 to 1 1/2 hours but it depends on the complexity of the treatment plan. I use cannulas extensively but sometimes a particular aesthetic result demands the use of a needle and this is why I use my ultrasound to vascular map prior to injection. In the hands of an experienced and artistic medical injector (like me), the results are natural, fresh looking and long lasting.

 

In general, studies show the volumization effect from Sculptra can lasts 2-3 years. Even though Sculptra and new collagen is still present years later. Your body and face continues to age so the aesthetic effects wear off in line with your rate of ageing. It is usual to have little top ups at 6-12 month intervals to keep the fresh results, rather than wait for it all to go and then start again.

 

What can go wrong?

Thankfully, in the right hands, complications and adverse reactions are rare. However, like all injectables, there are theoretical risks of a vascular occlusion that could lead to a medical emergency, such as skin necrosis (skin death) or worse. Your injector should tell you about the possible complications. If they say there is no chance of complications, leave the clinic. The injector is either untrustworthy or has poor medical knowledge. 

In the UK, counterfeit products can be very easily bought online at a fraction of the cost of the real product. Untested product can at best be ineffective (and a waste of money) or at worst cause a serious and unsightly reaction in the skin.

My advice would be, wherever you are in the country choose an aesthetic doctor who is experienced and capable of diagnosis and management of medical complications. Please make your choice of aesthetic provider based on their medical experience and qualifications and not on who can provide the cheapest treatment. A cheap deal is no comfort when a preventable complication has occurred. Wherever you are in the UK, choose your injector wisely.

 

 

In summary Sculptra is a great long lasting product that a lot of patients love. If you’d like to know if it’s right for you, book in for a consultation with me, Dr Maeve Kenningham, at my boutique relaxed clinic in the North Wales countryside, half way between Chester and Wrexham. Having any aesthetic injectable intervention can be daunting. Take your time and do your research to find the best person for you.

 

Here’s the booking link