The popularity of facial fillers has been growing exponentially in recent times. To combat wrinkles and loss of facial fat, patients turn to facial filler injections that have little to no recovery time. Sculptra is touted by aesthetic patients and physicians as being the “longest lasting facial filler”.

Sculptra is a dermal facial filler that can be injected directly into the skin of the face to rejuvenate the skin, that leaves it looking younger and healthier. Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) was approved by the FDA in 2004 and is the main component in Sculptra. This component is a synthetic biodegradable polymer that has been proven to be safe and effective in surgeries for 20 years.

Sculptra was approved by the FDA in 2009, and is considered to be a biostimulator, unlike other types of facial fillers. Sculptra not only stimulates the skin tissue, but rebuilds it when it starts to degrade. Other facial fillers plump up the tissue temporarily using an absorbent filler material. The PLLA activates an immune response when Sculptra is injected in the facial skin that causes the white blood cells to gradually absorb the PLLA particles. This particular process leads to collagen and fibrosis buildup at the site where Sculptra has been injected. This formation of new collagen is a slow acting process, therefore it may take up to four to six weeks to notice visible results.

The slow process of forming new collagen is what causes Sculptra to have longer lasting effects than other fillers. Other types of fillers cause temporary but immediate results, that plump up the skin to eliminate wrinkles. Eventually the effects dissipate and the injections have to be redone. Sculptra, on the other hand, is considered to be a “tissue volumizer” that fortifies areas of the face where the skin has lost fat.

Patients that use Sculptra see varying results with the product, however results can be expected to last from one to two years. There have even been instances where the results have lasted for up to three years. The long lasting effects of Sculptra is due to the safe absorbency of the poly-L-lactic acid formula, the ability to stimulate skin tissues that have degraded, and the gradual buildup of fresh collagen around weak tissues.

After getting a Sculptra injection, the patient should take extra care of their skin, by avoiding the sun as much as possible, and keeping the skin clean and well moisturized.