Sculptra®

Sculptra is a suitable treatment for all men and women when changes associated with ageing start to become apparent.

The Sculptra treatment is not considered painful. As well as the topical anaesthetic cream, the Sculptra product injected into your skin contains the local anaesthetic lidocaine (2%). The procedure is therefore relatively pain-free, and is usually well-tolerated by patients.

There will be some puffiness or swelling in the treated area, but this should disappear within 24 hours. You may also have some bruising, but this is less common and usually resolves within a week, and can easily be covered by makeup in most cases. Most patients return to work or normal activities a day after the treatment.

To achieve the ideal results with Sculptra® we recommend a course of three treatments, 4 to 6 weeks apart. Most patients only need one vial of the product per decade.

Sculptra® is a bio-stimulatory agent, which means it stimulates new collagen formation through a natural but gradual process. The rate at which collagen is produced naturally varies from person to person, but most patients start to see some effects after 3 to 4 weeks.

At the end of the course of treatment most patients will see a significant improvement that continues over the following 3 to 6 months towards full correction. This gradual change, leading to a softer, more refreshed youthful appearance – rather than the sudden change associated with traditional dermal filler treatments or surgery – is what makes Sculptra® so popular.

Once full correction has been achieved, the results are long-lasting. Medical studies have shown that in most patients, results last for over 2 years, and for many patients up to 5 years.

After this time, the full effects are gradually lost through the natural process of ageing. Many patients who wish to preserve the benefits of the treatment return for a review and top-up after 1 or 2 years. Usually just one treatment session is needed to maintain the full correction for another 2 years or more.

In capable hands, with the right training and experience, this is a very safe and effective procedure. Over time, the technique has evolved to optimise the effects and reduce problems – such as temporary lumps or nodules that have been reported with Sculptra® treatments in the past.

Sculptra can be used to give a more youthful appearance to the skin on the backs of hands and the décolletage (upper chest and neck area) by reducing lines and wrinkles – often associated with ageing and excessive sun exposure – as well as restoring loss of volume and thickness in the skin.