Restoring Lost Facial Volume with Sculptra
After deciding to use injectables on the road to achieving and maintaining a youthful appearance, each patient’s personal satisfaction becomes our primary goal. The impression we make on the people around us comes next. And that goal is never, “You look different.” Rather, whether consciously or implicitly, the goal response is usually more like, “You look great!”
The difference between “done” and “refreshed” calls for quite a bit of art as well as science. As injectors at Dermatology Consultants, our status is indicative of vast experience with a wide variety of available fillers. Injectable fillers are available in more formulations than ever before, aiding in targeted treatments appropriate for different patients and treatment areas to achieve each patient’s goals. Those goals more often than not including achieving subtle but significant change over time. So, we see patients choosing Sculptra more and more.
Working with the Body’s Own ProcessSculptra Aesthetic is an FDA-approved injectable that stimulates the body’s own production of collagen. Distinct from injectables offering temporary volume that dissipates as the filler dissolves over time, Sculptra improves collagen development with time and takes effect during the weeks and months following a series of subtle treatments. The effects are cumulative and last as long as two years.
The youthful appearance of volumized and smooth skin achieved with Sculptra is driven by a collagen stimulator called poly-L-lactic acid, or PLLA, that works in the dermis of the skin. At the deep dermal level, Sculptra revitalizes collagen production, restoring the skin’s underlying structure to create volume, tightening, and skin strength.
Why Collagen is the Key
The discussion around collagen has been around for decades, and it is often used as an ingredient in topical applications and even nutritional supplements, although neither of these routes produces much effect. As an oral supplement, collagen is largely neutralized by digestion, and as a topical ingredient, the molecule is too large to effectively penetrate the skin and create an effect. The body’s own production of collagen, however, occurs right where it needs to happen to make a difference, so stimulating natural collagen production is a goal in targeted therapy leading to effective outcomes.
Sculptra is unique as an injectable in that it stimulates collagen at the dermal level, which isn’t readily accessible by topical or oral methods.
Collagen itself is not the only necessary component for healthy, youthful skin. It supports the work of two other key molecules within the skin, hyaluronic acid, or HA, and elastin. HA lubricates and cushions the skin, keeping it hydrated by absorbing up to 1000x its own weight in water, and elastin is a protein that helps maintains the skin’s shape, rebound, and elasticity. Volume alone is not the only benefit of stimulating your natural collagen via Sculptra; it works in harmony with other molecules in your skin to improve the skin’s health and appearance.
At Dermatology Consultants you’ll find professionals who are passionate about providing options that are effective, cutting edge, and suited to your own goals. Sculptra is just one example. Contact us, and let’s discuss what’s right for you.