NEWFACELIFT SCULPTRA
Find out about a collagen treatment that will help put back what time has
taken out.
FACIAL AGEING is due to a combination
of changes to the skin and facial bones supporting
it. The primary factor that contributes to ageing
is the loss of collagen in the skin. Wrinkles, lines
and fold are initially caused by facial expressions.
However, as skin ages, the loss of collagen results
in deeper and more persistent facial lines.
The good news is, you can delay the effects of
ageing.
Sculptra is a collagen treatment made from
poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) fillers that can be used
to treat facial creases and restore volume loss
at the same time. Injectable PLLA fillers display
unique characteristics enabling a global approach
to youthful face restoration with predictable
results and a favourable safety profile. This filler
stimulates collagen production and dermal
thickness thereby smoothening out lines and
wrinkles whilst restoring lost facial volume
resulting in a fuller younger looking face.
Dr Priya Sen, Consultant
Dermatologist and Laser
Surgeon at the National
Skin Centre and Sculptra
spokesperson, answers all your frequently-asked
questions below:
How is Sculptra
different from a lifting
treatment like Thermage or Titan?
Ageing results in the breakdown of underlying
tissues in the face which keeps skin looking plump
and youthful. The balance is lost between skin,
fat, muscle and bone with progressive changes in
their volume, shape, position and composition.
This volume loss cannot be improved using a
lifting treatment like Thermage or Titan.
By adding volume to certain areas, the shape and position of these structures can be altered,
resulting in the reappearance of more youthful
and natural facial contours and this is achieved
with the use of Sculptra.
How is Sculptra different from other
fillers?
Sculptra is suitable for increasing the volume
of depressed areas, particularly to correct skin
depressions, such as in skin creases, wrinkles,
folds, scars, and for skin ageing. As it is also
suitable for large volume corrections, it fulfills
the criteria for facial volume enhancement and
panfacial augmentation to treat the volume
and fat loss due to ageing. It is not to be used
for lip augmentation. Other fillers tend to
be recommended for isolated areas such as
nasolabial folds.
Who is suitable for Sculptra
treatments?
Anyone with facial depressions requiring
correction. Individuals with bleeding disorders
or who are on blood thinning drugs may have to
avoid this treatment.
What can I expect after a
Sculptra treatment?
Generally no downtime and patients
can go back to work within 24 - 48
hours. The immediate volume effect is
related to the volume of water injected
and this disappears within 72 hours.
There is a natural increase in dermal
skin thickness which begins to take
place over the first four weeks after
injection. This continues to increase
over the next six months and persists
for up to two years.
Is it painful and how many
treatments do I need to get
desired results?
Patients report that the treatment
is relatively painless and the effects
are natural, gradual and long lasting
compared to temporary fillers. This
depends on the amount of facial volume
requiring augmentation. Most patients
generally need one to two treatments
costing between $1600 to $3200.
How long do results last?
Up to two years.
Besides saggy skin, what else
can be treated by Sculptra?
Sculptra is also suitable for large
volume corrections of the signs of facial
fat loss (lipoatrophy). It has shown
good results in treating the volume
loss in the “tear trough” and temples
as well as on the upper surface of the
hands which thin with ageing. Acne
scars, chickenpox scars and atrophic or
depressed scars can also be treated.
