SCULPTRA SKIN FILLER
There is a new way to help get rid of wrinkles and plump up an aging face. This new treatment actually stimulates the production of new tissue that fills in the folds of the wrinkles.
The treatment was actually approved by the FDA for use in AIDS patients whose faces get sunken due to the loss of fatty tissue. But now healthy individuals are also using it to get a younger look.
If 44-year old Katherina’s mirror could talk, it might tell her that she is in good company when it comes to worrying about wrinkles. Millions of other women are also frustrated with their aging skin. “These two lines that go from the nose down to the mouth get deeper as I get older, like two rivers” says Katherina.
After examining the growing list of available products to fill her self-labeled ‘rivers’, Katherina has chosen one – Sculptra, originally approved to help the ‘sunken’ look of some AIDS patients.
Dr. Ellen Marmur of Mt. Sinai hospital in New York says, “This is a poly-lactic acid which is a crystal that you inject in the deeper areas of the skin to help reduce wrinkles.”
The Sculptra crystals are suspended in water and injected.
They are designed to actually force the body to make more collagen, plumping up wrinkled areas of skin. Almost everyone over 40 is a potential candidate for Sculptra.
“As we age, it’s natural for skin to wrinkle. We become a bit sunken under the eyes. We have this deep fold between our nose and our cheeks, which is another common wrinkle. Even our chin can become a bit dimpled,” says Dr. Marmur.
Because it causes an actual reaction in the body, the wrinkle filler takes time to work. What patients see first is inflammation. “After the first wrinkle filler treatment the swelling will go down,” informs Dr. Marmur.
Katherina will probably need 2 to 4 treatments to fill in her laugh lines. And while they are the most commonly requested areas of treatment, dermatologists across the country are starting to experiment with other spots. “This wrinkle filler is different because you are able to fill larger areas of the face all at once,” says Dr. Marmur.
Sculptra can even be helpful to correct liposuction when too much fat has been taken out of a person’s body.
Studies show Sculptra does last longer than other wrinkle fillers, but it is not permanent. The body breaks down the new collagen eventually, and patients need a touch-up, usually in about 2 years.
Still, it’s important to remember that this skin filler has not been approved by the FDA for cosmetic purposes, although it has been used in Europe for years.
Treatments range in price depending on the doctor. The average is between $1200 and $2000 per treatment. Dr. Marmur says that’s about the same amount as other available skin fillers when you consider that you need to have them injected more frequently. She thinks you will see an explosion of new users for the Sculptra treatment in the next few years.