Faces don't lie when it comes to showing signs of aging. Yet gravity alone is not the sole determinant of the aging face. Studies have demonstrated that volume loss of soft tissue and bone is at least equally important to facial aging. The loss of volume in the face over time can cause deep lines, sunken areas around the eyes, temples, nose and jowls. With the recent FDA approval of Scrulptra® Aesthetic, physicians now have a non-invasive tool to increase facial volume, stimulate collagen production, and reverse some of the visible signs of aging.
"The basics of facial aging are that first the face deflates with volume loss and then begins to sag," says Lori H. Saltz, M.D., a board certified plastic surgeon and Medical Director of La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre. "Sculptra is different than the fillers that are on the aesthetic market because it actually is a volumizer that stimulates a person's own collagen to rebuild some of the volume that is naturally lost during the aging process," adds Saltz. Sculptra contains poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and is biocompatible, meaning it will not harm your body. PLLA has been used for many years in dissolvable stitches and medical implants as well as for cosmetic purposes in Europe for the past ten years.
"At around age 30, collagen begins to break down and appears in the face as wrinkles, lines, deep folds and even a hollowed appearance. Other than transferring fat to these areas, until now there was really no other solution," states Saltz. Saltz uses Sculptra in her daily practice for those patients that are not quite ready for a surgical facelift as well as an adjunct to her daily surgeries.
"People ask me why a plastic surgeon would be so excited about a so-called 'liquid facelift' and it's simply because I am seeing the results every day and my patients are happy," Saltz claims. She also goes on to say that when performing a traditional face lift, she often accompanies it with Sculptra injections in the temples or around the eyes. "There isn't one magical solution for every problem we see in cosmetic surgery and it often takes a combination of procedures to give a patient the best results," according to Saltz.
An average number of treatment sessions of Sculptra Aesthetics include three injection sessions done approximately every four to six weeks. The injection sessions are spread out over this time period because Sculptra gradually replaces lost collagen to restore a natural-looking appearance that can last up to two years according to clinical studies. As Sculptra gradually works between sessions, the physician is able to adjust the amount of volumizer needed to provide the best aesthetic results.
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