Signs of aging strike fear in the hearts of even the most confident amongst us. While some may thank their youthful genes, many of us have to rely on the magic of science to combat the fallouts of aging. And that can be a harrowing experience.
But with the latest advances made in the field of cosmetic dermatology, we can now wave goodbye to the days of looking around for that perfect cream or even the facial. These topical creams and facials are at best temporary solutions and come with their own side effects.
But a lot of us also shy away from cosmetic beauty treatments because of the very valid fears of side effects, appearing to have ‘too much work done’ or even the gauntlet of downtime. Sculptra is perhaps one such solution for all of us who hate going under the knife. It is a longer-lasting and a very effective solution to counter skin aging.
So what is Sculptra? It is an injectable made of poly-L-lactic acid and designed for men and women who are feeling discouraged by hollowing of their cheeks and temples due to loss of facial volume or the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The great thing about it is that it does not contain any human DNA or animal products.
Here, we will compare the different injectables like Botox, Sculptra and even facial fillers to help you choose the best beauty treatment that is especially customized for your needs.
Sculptra Improves Facial Volume
Aging can make our skin look dull and saggy. Dr. Joel Kopelman, a top plastic surgeon in New York City explains this process of skin aging. He says, “with age, the natural plumpness and volume of the skin, that makes it so supple, is lost. It is mainly due to the loss of collagen production in our skin that results in the loss of the glow of youthfulness. As this collagen production slows down, our cheeks start to hollow and lines and wrinkles begin to appear on the skin.“
He adds, “Sculptra is a beauty treatment in powder form which is directly injected into the skin. It is a perfectly safe procedure which has been FDA approved and has been around since 1999.”
When placed under the layers of the skin, Sculptra begins its action by boosting the skin’s own natural collagen formation. As the collagen is produced in the skin, it becomes more supple and the sensual bloom of youthfulness comes back from within. Unlike the topical creams that we often use to restore this youthful plumpness of the skin, Sculptra actually acts directly on the natural mechanisms of our own skin and brings longer lasting results.
It not only improves facial volume and helps erase wrinkles and lines from the skin, but also aids in softening the cheekbones and giving you a defined jawline. Many people have also gone for Sculptra treatments for adding volume to flat buttocks.
Sculptra and Fillers Are Different
Both Sculptra and fillers are popular in the world of beauty as volumizing agents. But they are different in many ways. Here we draw out a nice scientific comparison between the two to help you decide on one particular treatment.
Dermal fillers, like Sculptra, are beauty injectables. But they are made of hyaluronic acid gel and that is why they are known as “fillers”. Because it is this hyaluronic acid which is injected using fillers to add natural looking plumpness back to the skin. Each one of the dermal fillers either Juvederm , Restylane, or Belotero have particular properties that address specific areas of the face.
Dr. Kopeman says that “Sculptra, unlike these dermal fillers, is not a “filler” like the hyaluronic acid gels like Juverderm or Restylane. Rather it contains tiny particles that stimulate the collagen production in your own skin to boost a healthy volume in it. The dermal fillers give you immediate gratification by simply adding facial volume, through injecting the gel like substance. So in the case of fillers, it’s actually just the filler which has filled the place of that lost volume in the skin.”
So, instead of filling the lost volume with gel, Sculptra makes your own skin work to produce that volume. This is the main difference between Sculptra and facial fillers. It takes a longer time than fillers to show results because it slowly stimulates the skin to create its own collagen.
But why should one choose Sculptra when facial fillers bring the same results quicker? This is because many dermatologists have felt that using injectables in some parts of the face like the lower face area, especially under the fat pads of the cheeks can have some minor issues. Most of the hollowing of the facial skin occurs under the cheeks. And so it is a good idea to have the natural collagen work its own magic in these areas.
Dr. Kopelman points out that “the scientific reason behind this is that in the lower face, overlying the cheek fat pad, fillers with hyaluronic acid gels cannot be smoothly distributed because these gels are much more cohesive. So, when your dermatologist tries to massage the hyaluronic gel from the filler injection over these areas they will try to distribute it evenly but some lumpiness might occur especially if there is no hard bony prominence beneath the injected area.”
Sculptra on the other hand is much more fluid. It can be injected and massaged into broad facial regions where little underlying bone is present. This allows a smoother distribution of the Sculptra particles (poly-lactic acid) and provides a smooth yet more natural-looking contour.
However, many beauty surgeons may use Sculptra in specific areas of the face and combine it with fillers like Juvederm and Restylane in other areas where they are superior injectable products to Sculptra.
How Long Will Sculptra Last?
Sculptra as a cosmetic beauty treatment lasts for approximately two years. Some patients have even longer benefits from Sculptra. However, each patient is different; it might require a followup treatment after a year.
To age gracefully and keep the signs of aging at bay is a most desirable but understandably difficult goal for most men and women. But with a help of little ‘tweakments’ done by your local beauty surgeon, it can be achieved.
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