For patients with early signs of aging who do not want or need more aggressive facelift procedures soft tissue fillers can make a significant difference. They do so with little or no recovery time, less cost and less risk of complications than classical operative/surgical procedures. These patients can be in their 30s, 40s or 50s since each individual ages differently.

In the past collagen derived from cows or pigs was the only available filler. Its drawbacks were the possibility of allergic reactions (skin tests were required before the product could be injected) and a temporary result only lasting a few months. It has been replaced by newer synthetic materials such as Restylene, Purogen, Sculptra, Radiesse etc. that last longer, have no risk of allergic reactions and do not even need refrigeration for storage.

Sculptra is made of an absorbable plastic. It is the same plastic that absorbable sutures and bone screws are made of. The sculptra powder is mixed with local anesthetic and sterile water and about 2 days before it is injected. I prefer to use local anesthetic blocks of the facial nerves just before injection because the injection has to be made deep under the skin. The body reacts to the sculptra by manufacturing soft tissue to replace it. Therefore the doctor injects less sculptra than is required to fill the area and the body manufacturers sufficient tissue to fill it. The patient returns every 1 to 3 months for additional injections as needed in order to give the body sufficient time to manufacture this soft tissue. The effect lasts 1 to 2 years and in some reports as long as 5 years.

Photos taken prior to any injection

Photos and video taken before and after Sculptra injections. The before photo was taken just before the first injection. A second injection was performed 2 months later. A half bottle of Sculptra was injected into each cheek. The after photo was taken 9 months after the second injection (11 months after the first injection). You can see that the results last well over a year and that improved skin quality is a side effect of the injection

Read Dr. Stone's blogs about Sculptra and injectable fillers
• Injectable Fillers - Collagen, Restylane et al
• Skin Necrosis with Injectable Fillers

Sculptra injections can enhance your appearance and your self confidence. Realistic expectations are important to be happy with any surgery. As each patient is an individual, different results can be expected in each patient.