SculptraAesthetic has been known for years as a long lasting filler designed to fill large areas such as the cheeks for as much as 2 years. It was only recently however that it has been approved for cosmetic use and is applied in the naso-labial folds and also in wrinkles that require a deep treatment, such as the cheeks. The effects of SculptraAesthetic appear gradually which many patients prefer because the effects are subtle, and don't reveal that any work has been done at all.
"We used to have the traditional dermal fillers, they gave instant results, instant volume but originally designed for focal issues in the face like a line or a fold," says Dr. Danny Vleggaar, a cosmetic physician from Geneva, Switzerland. "We were satisfied with the results for a long time, until we really started to understand better what happens to the face when we are getting older. That it's not about getting a line or a fold, and it won't be the line or fold that you take away that will make you look younger or refreshed. That is what we doctors are starting to appreciate."
Sculptra allows him to contour the face. "Patients see that certain corrections - although non-surgical, not focused on lines and wrinkles but more volume and contour just give another maybe a more appealing result that just erasing a line or wrinkle." Dr. Vleggaar says that SculptraAesthetic is one of a group of collagen stimulators. "It stimulates collagen it doesn't fill itself, but it stimulates just the right amount of collagen in that area that it will fill in the area."
Collagen stimulation also leads to the endurance of SculptraAesthetic. It is injected in a regimen of up to 4 sessions about 3 weeks apart, according to the company's website. Juvederm and Restylane work much faster and on specific areas, while SculptraAesthetic's effect is more wide spread, making it ideal for restoring fullness in those larger areas. Dr. Drew Ordon and his associate Dr. Ritu Chopra demonstrate the special injection pattern today on The Doctors, which ensures a more uniform result by placing the SculptraAesthetic in a perpendicular manner.
Dr. Vleggaar says there are risks, but none that are much different from other fillers. "The initial learning curve we had in Europe is really reflected in the safety profile of nowadays using collagen stimulators. Of course, anybody can develop a bump or a lump on any procedure with any product. Luckily, we know now and understand how we can prevent these kinds of events by using the right methodology for each problem."
SculptraAesthetic typically costs around $700 per treatment but in the long run will often save money in the end because it lasts so long. "I think on collagen stimulators and - SculptraAesthetic in particular has a proven longevity of 25 months, that's what one can claim according to the FDA and the trials that have been performed here. In clinical practice we see 2 ? 3 years of longevity of these results so on the long term to get that kind of result and maintain that kind of result, with traditional dermal fillers on the long term - the dermal filler will always be more expensive."
