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You have probably heard of dermal fillers. Names like Restylane and Juvederm seem to be “all the rage” with well-known celebrities. And I know what you’re thinking…. no, it’s NOT a good thing to notice someone’s filler! The point of having dermal fillers is to look soft and natural. It’s NOT to look “filled”. In fact, many people you probably see every day have dermal filler, but you’d never know it! They just look great, which is what you want the world to notice!
There’s another dermal filler product out there that is more of a natural collagen booster than it is a filler. It’s Sculptra, a unique product that can really help boost collagen in large areas in a BIG way. You see, Sculptra is not a gel that you inject like Restylane or Juvederm. It’s actually a powder made of material called poly-L-lactic acid that is re-suspended in saline just before it’s injected into the skin. While the saline is re-absorbed by the body, the particles remain. Over time, your body slowly builds collagen around them. Think of your skin as a yard of dirt and Sculptra as grass seed. With Sculptra, a nice layer of collagen can form in hollow areas just like a thick, lush lawn would on a dirt yard. It works great for larger areas that need volume, like the cheek area or for extremely thin and athletic people who need natural, soft volume, but a lot of it!
The poly-L-lactic acid particles are made from a material that’s been used in absorbable sutures for decades. So over time, they too will dissolve away, but not before they rev up the skin’s collagen making machine. The results of Sculptra are not immediate (which is what makes it different from the other dermal fillers), but they slowly build over a period of 6-9 months after injection. Sculptra can yield some really amazing, beautiful results. And because it’s YOUR collagen, most people see the results of their Sculptra for up to 2 years! When you consider those results with the fact that the average person loses up to a full teaspoon of collagen from their face every year, you can see what an amazing product Sculptra really is.
Like the other dermal fillers, there is a risk that you might be red, swollen or have bruising after your Sculptra treatment. Another rare, but potential side effect of Sculptra is that it can sometimes cause small, little lumps called granulomas to form in the skin. If you’re considering whether the benefits of Sculptra are right for you, please give us a call. We would love the opportunity to discuss the unique results we can obtain using Sculptra and if it’s the right treatment for you.
