Sculptra™ is a new injectable product used to fill in sunken areas of the face in patients who suffer from lipoatrophy or “facial wasting,” the loss of fat beneath the skin. Injected into the deep dermis layer of the skin, Sculptra increases skin thickness over time to improve the appearance of sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, indentations and wrinkles. There is no need for allergy testing, since Sculptra’s main component is poly-L-lactic acid, a synthetic polymer in the alpha-hyrdoxy-acid family that has been used for 20 years in surgical products such as dissolvable sutures and bone screws.
Treatment results lasted up to two years in clinical trials. Possible side effects include those associated with any injection (bleeding, tenderness, redness, bruising or swelling) as well as the appearance of small bumps beneath the skin.
