Biostimulators - Sculptra

Sculptra

What is Sculptra

Sculptra is a cutting-edge biostimulator. This modern injectable treatment is designed to restore facial volume and improve skin quality by stimulating the body’s natural collagen production – contrasting more commonly known injectables like dysport or botox. Made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a biocompatible synthetic substance, Sculptra works gradually over time to address signs of aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Unlike traditional dermal fillers, which provide immediate results by adding volume directly to the treated area, Sculptra encourages the body to rebuild its own support structure, delivering a more natural, long-lasting rejuvenation.

Ear Surgery Otoplasty
Ear Surgery Otoplasty

What is a Biostimulator?

A biostimulator is a type of injectable treatment that works by encouraging the body’s own natural processes to regenerate tissue, typically collagen or elastin. These substances, such as PLLA in Sculptra, are introduced into the skin to trigger a biological response, stimulating the production of collagen, which is essential for maintaining skin’s elasticity, firmness, and youthful appearance. By enhancing the skin’s structural integrity from within, biostimulators like Sculptra provide subtle, gradual improvements that build over time, offering a more sustainable and natural-looking result compared to some other aesthetic treatments.

The Benefits of Biostimulators like Sculptra

Sculptra offers a range of benefits that make it a standout choice for individuals seeking a non-surgical solution to facial aging. First, it delivers gradual, natural-looking improvements as collagen production is stimulated over several months, avoiding the “overdone” look that can sometimes occur with traditional fillers. Additionally, biostimulator effects can last up to two years or longer, making it a cost-effective option for those looking to maintain long-term results. Beyond volumizing the face, Sculptra also improves skin texture and elasticity, addressing multiple concerns in a single treatment. It is particularly effective for those with significant volume loss or those looking for a more comprehensive rejuvenation without surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for my treatment?
Abstain from alcohol, Omega-3 fish oils, and NSAID medications (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc) x 72 h.  Do not use retinol 24h prior.  Arrive to your treatment with a clean face, and ensure that you have eaten and are well hydrated.  Your provider will provide numbing, and create a treatment plan for you.  Schedule accordingly!  With any treatment, you may or may not experience mild bruising, swelling and asymmetries for 24-72h.  This does not always occur – but best to prep incase it does. Your provider will assess your medical candidacy and review with our Medical Director prior to your treatment – please ensure you have a list of any prescription medications or medical history.   If you are feeling unwell, have any infections or acne at the treatment site, or are on antibiotics – best to reschedule until you are healed and well, to ensure you have a smooth recovery.
When you book in for your Sculptra treatment, we will schedule you 1hour with your provider.  Most of the treatment involves medical screening, education, and treatment planning- we want to carefully assess and understand your goals, so that we can deliver your ideal treatment. You may or may not add on 3d imaging, which helps track your progress and results.  The Sculptra treatment itself takes approximately 10minutes; your provider uses injectable lidocaine to ensure your comfort, as well as a cannula, to deliver a comfortable experience.  Most patients rate their discomfort 1-3/10.  Sculptra is injected into the lifting vectors of the face – temple, pre-auricular, and jawline — think lateral and superior lift.  You may anticipate transient loss of muscle movement or sensation (10-20min) due to the lidocaine, which resolves quickly.  You may have mild swelling at the site, and for up to 72h post.  When treating temples – some individuals will experience mild headaches.
Most patients rate their discomfort 1-3/10. We utilize injectable numbing (lidocaine), as well as a cannula, to create a comfortable experience.
Most individuals are able to resume normal activity and social activities on the day of treatment. As with any procedure, there is risk of bruising, swelling and infection – keep your sites clean for 24h. To ensure your product integrates well – we recommend 72h before vigorous exercise or exposure to extreme temperatures (hot tubs, saunas, cold plunges, etc). When treating temples, some individuals may experience mild headaches, or transient puffiness under the eyes – this is normal and resolves within 72h. Following your treatment, we require 8h prior to applying makeup, creams or topicals, to reduce your risk for infection. For 5 days after your treatment – you must follow the 5-5-5 rule. Massage the treated area (with clean hands, with jade roller or with guasha) for 5 min, 5 times a day, for 5 days. This ensures that the product integrates well with your tissue, and ensure optimal outcomes.  
Sculptra is a biostimulator – this means that the product kickstarts your fibroblasts, the cells which produce your collagen and elastin. This process takes up to 6-12weeks for your full results, as it is dependent on your body’s ability to create collagen. It is a slow moving, subtle response that should be beautifully undetectable – the perfect compliment after your Sculptra is when you receive compliments that you look rested, refreshed or that your skin is glowing. If you are looking for an overnight fix – Sculptra is not the treatment for you. If you are patient, and interested in soft, lifted and natural results, know that your optimal results will come in 3 months, and over the course of 1-3 sessions, spaced 6 weeks apart. A typical rule of thumb is that you will require 1 vial per decade of life – for example, an individual in their 50’s may anticipate full results with 5 vials, where an individual in their 30’s may anticipate full results in 3 vials. Typically vials are injected maximum 2 per session – this enables us to stack your treatments, to provide optimal biostimulation.
Anyone interested in boosting their collagen stores! Sculptra will improve general signs of aging, including skin laxity, lipoatrophy (loss of facial volume), skin texture, skin luminosity, and skin hydration. Collagen is a depleting resource; starting at age 28, we lose 1% of our collagen stores each year. How we visualize this is signs of aging – formation of jowls, temple hollowing, undereye hollowing, skin laxity, and softening of the jawline, as well as thinning of the skin. 80% of your skin is made of collagen – boosting this protein will mitigate changes that occur over the life time due to gravity, aging, UV exposure, and general decline in collagen stores. Sculptra is well tolerated and loved by many – however not all individuals are safe medical candidates. If you have allergies to : poly-L-lactic acid, mannitol, carboxymethycellulose or lidocaine, you are ineligible for treatment. Individuals with autoimmune conditions also required a medical assessment for candidacy prior to treatment. Other medical considerations include; keloid or hypertrophic scarring, active acne or infection at treatment site, or current use of blood-thinning medication. Another consideration is ability to follow aftercare and an understanding of timeline expectations – receiving this treatment requires patience, and may involve multiple sessions. Chat with your provider to ensure that you are understanding of your treatment plan and ready to work with us.
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