Sculptra® Aesthetic Facial Injectable in Manasquan and Toms River, NJ
If you want firm, younger-looking skin, collagen is the key. That’s why you see it listed as an ingredient in just about every skincare product you find. But topically applied collagen doesn’t affect the skin where it needs it, from beneath. The problem is that every year after our 20th birthday, our bodies produce one additional percentage point less collagen. By the time we’re 50 that equates to a 30 percent decrease in collagen production. That’s why aging skin sags, droops, and allows the formation of lines, wrinkles, and creases, along with areas of volume loss such as the cheeks. At Dr. Foster’s we offer a long-lasting non-invasive answer to this collagen decline — Sculptra. Sculptra is a dermal filler that triggers the body to produce new collagen where it is injected, filling lines and wrinkles around the mouth area for up to two years.
What are Sculptra® Aesthetic Facial Injectables?
You know how most dermal fillers work — as their name implies, they simply “fill” in the space where injected, pushing the skin back upwards or adding volume to areas where volume has been lost.
Sculptra is different; its results are not immediate. Sculptra is made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), which works within the skin to replace lost collagen. Sculptra is the first facial injectable that gives you subtle results over time as collagen is replaced. This makes for a natural-looking appearance that improves over time, not an instant change as with other fillers. Sculptra is injected in three sessions over three to four months for the best results. These results can then last for two years!
What areas can Sculptra be used?
Sculptra is effective for treating moderate to deeper lines. It is used for these typical lines and creases that develop around the mouth:
- Marionette lines (extending downward from the corners of your mouth)
- Parentheses lines (framing both sides of your mouth)
- Nasolabial folds (running from your nose down to the corners of your mouth, also called smile lines)
- Chin wrinkles
Who is a candidate for Sculptra?
Sculptra is effective for treating fairly deep lines and creases, and it has few restrictions. If you have the typical lines that form around the mouth and from the nose to the mouth, Sculptra is a great, long-lasting solution. Really, the only patients who cannot have Sculptra are those with a history of keloid or hypertrophic scarring. If you have a variety of allergies, we’ll help you check the full ingredient list in Sculptra to see if you have any conflicts.
Benefits of Sculptra Aesthetic Facial Injectable
Most dermal fillers are injected, and they show instant results. In many cases, this can create unnatural instant plumping of the area. Sculptra doesn’t deliver instant results. Rather than simply filling the injection sites, Sculptra’s poly-L-lactic acid triggers your body to produce its own collagen to correct lines and creases.
This also delivers longer-lasting results. Because your body is creating new collagen, this continues for months as the body slowly absorbs the PLLA. That’s why Sculptra can basically double the duration of its results compared to typical dermal fillers.
Side Effects of Sculptra Aesthetic Facial Injectable
The most common side effects with Sculptra are similar to those with any dermal filler:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Bruising
- Slight Bleeding
- Itching
- Formation of small lumps
All of these issues pass quickly. If you’re wondering about the poly-L-lactic acid that is the centerpiece of Sculptra, PLLA is a biocompatible, biodegradable substance that the body accepts. It has been used for over 20 years in surgical applications, including dissolvable sutures.
Sculptra Aesthetic Facial Injectable Treatment Process
Sculptra Aesthetic injections are designed to be a one-time treatment. A patient can have up to 4 injection sessions, which are spread 3 weeks apart. When injected into shallow-to-deep folds and lines, the additional collagen that is produced smooths them out, and adds volume to the skin.
Are Sculptra injections painful?
Sculptra is injected more deeply than other dermal fillers, down into the dermis layer. That’s because the dermis layer is where the body produces collagen and Sculptra intends to boost your collagen production where injected.
Prior to your injections with Dr. Foster, we provide local anesthetic at the injection sites, depending on your preference. That makes these injections basically painless.
Sculptra Aesthetic Facial Injectable Results
Results of Sculptra injections vary but, in a clinical study, their effects were shown to last for up to 2 years in most patients.
Are my results immediate with Sculptra?
Sculptra isn’t like dermal fillers that instantly add volume. As noted above, Sculptra has some initial plumping due to the gel that is used the deliver the poly-L-lactic acid, but this is a short-term event that passes as the gel spreads under the skin. The PLLA stimulates the production of new collagen, and that’s where Sculptra actually does its work. This takes about two weeks to fully take effect.
How often would I need Sculptra injections?
As mentioned above, Sculptra doesn’t deliver instant results. Instead, they build as the PLLA stimulates your body to produce new collagen. This takes a couple of weeks to fully get going, but from there the boost in collagen production lasts for about 2 years!
Contact Us Today!
If you are interested in learning more about our Sculptra Injectable treatments, call us today at 732.914.2233 for our Toms River office and 732.449.2099 for our Manasquan office to schedule a consultation. Our practice serves Toms River, Manasquan, and the surrounding areas of New Jersey.