Collagen is the key to firm, younger-looking skin. This protein provides the structural framework under our epidermis. Unfortunately, every year after we have our 20th birthday our bodies produce one additional percentage point less collagen. No wonder wrinkles, lines, and areas of volume loss really show themselves when we’re 50 — it’s because we now produce one third less collagen than in our younger days.
At Beaty Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer Sculptra as a long-term answer to collagen loss. Sculptra is a dermal filler that triggers the body to produce new collagen where it is injected, filling lines and wrinkles around the mouth area for up to two years.
What is Sculptra?
With most dermal fillers, their results are instant. They are injected and they “fill” the wrinkle from beneath, pushing the skin back up.
Sculptra is different; its results are not immediate. Sculptra is made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), which works within the skin to replace lost collagen. Sculptra is the first facial injectable that gives you subtle results over time as collagen is replaced. This makes for a natural-looking appearance that improves over time, not an instant change as with other fillers. Sculptra is injected in three sessions over three to four months for the best results. These results can then last for two years!
How does Sculptra work?
We inject Sculptra into the deep dermal layer of the skin. This is the base of the skin’s second layer. Sculptra is injected in three sessions over the course of three to four months. Like typical fillers, Sculptra’s gel initially provides volume where injected and pushes the depressed area back upward, but this is only temporary. After a week or so, the wrinkle can reform to a lesser degree, but this is when Sculptra really gets to work. Microparticles of PLLA work within the deep dermis to rebuild lost collagen and provide structural skin support. As the PLLA is absorbed a collagen framework is created. This reinforced collagen structure provides a foundation that gradually restores the look of fullness to shallow to deep wrinkles and folds. This new collagen framework provides results that last up to two years, more than twice as long as most other fillers.
Where is Sculptra effective?
Sculptra is effective for the typical lines and creases that develop around the mouth:
- The lines framing your mouth (parentheses and marionette lines)
- Deep folds between the nose and mouth (nasolabial folds), also called smile lines
- Chin wrinkles
Are you interested in the long-lasting results provided by Sculptra? Call Dr. Beaty at (770) 753-0053 to make an appointment.
