Sculptra: get ready for the "liquid facelift"

I was recently invited to an afternoon at Ponsonby’s Sapphire Appearance Medicine Clinic, where over champagne and canapés a select group of beauty editor were introduced to Sculptra, the newest girl on the dermal filler block. The host was Dr Garsing Wong, trusted international speaker and cosmetic physician and one of the first doctors to use Sculptra in New Zealand. Now a registered medicine in New Zealand, it works in a rather unique way to smooth out areas of depressed skin such as skin creases, wrinkles, folds, scars and skin aging. It also assists in the restoration and/or correction of the signs of facial fat loss that can be seen in patients treated with antiretroviral medication.
Essentially, Sculptra (marketed as New-Fill in many countries) is a poly-L-lactic-acid-based injectable dermal filler. It has proven to be is very effective when used as a treatment for wrinkles and fine lines on the face, and has been used throughout Europe since 1999. The main ingredient of Sculptra, polylactic acid, has been used for more than 20 years in surgical products, including dissolvable stitches. Polylactic acid is a synthetic substance made to replicate a natural derivative created by the muscles during exercise. Since Sculptra is comprised of synthetic materials, there is no need for allergy testing prior to treatment, which is a bonus for many patients. Since the polylactic acid in Sculptra is biologically inert, there is no risk of patients developing an allergic reaction to treatments.
As with all cosmetic treatments, the cost of Sculptra varies by doctor. It also depends on the amount of Sculptra needed to treat an individual patient or to reach his or her cosmetic goals, as well as the number of visits required to complete the treatments.
So, does it hurt? Of course it does! How much however, will vary from person to person. The treatment process involves the use of thin needles to inject polylactic acid into the skin in a strategic pattern designed to combat the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as facial lipoatrophy. The polylactic acid will then promote the growth of new collagen, which, over the course of four to six weeks, will promote a fuller and more youthful appearance. Prior to a Sculptra treatment, the doctor will apply a topical anesthetic cream to minimize the amount of discomfort the patient experiences, and a typical treatments last roughly thirty minutes.
The positive effects of the treatment include increased skin thickness and improved facial volume, which lead to a healthier, younger appearance. In fact, Sculptra has become known as the “liquid facelift” over the last few years, so dramatic and impressive are its results. Results can also last for up to two years, while the results of other injectable dermal fillers, such as Restylane may only last for a few months. Overall, Sculptra is associated with fewer risks and side effects than many other injectables, but you have to be a little more patient as the results may take four to six weeks to become noticeable.
Sound like you? I recommend a visit to your nearest clinic for a consultation – expect to pay a little more than your usual bill for fillers, but hell, if it lasts for two years who’s arguing?