Description
SCULPTRA
A gradual, natural looking approach to restoring firmness, structure and volume by stimulating your skin’s own collagen production.
WHAT IS SCULPTRA?
Sculptra® is an injectable collagen-stimulating treatment designed to work with your own skin rather than simply filling lines or adding instant volume.
Its active ingredient is Poly-L-Lactic Acid, known as PLLA. This biocompatible and biodegradable material has been used within medicine for many years, including in dissolvable sutures.
Unlike traditional dermal fillers, which use hyaluronic acid to physically replace lost volume, Sculptra works by encouraging your skin to produce more of its own collagen.
The result develops gradually, helping to improve the structure, firmness and quality of the skin while restoring some of the volume that we naturally lose as we age.
HOW DOES SCULPTRA WORK?
Collagen is one of the main structural proteins within our skin. It provides strength, support and firmness and is a big part of what gives younger skin its plump, smooth appearance.
Unfortunately, our natural collagen production reduces as we get older. Over time this contributes to thinner skin, loss of facial volume, lines, folds and sagging.
Sculptra is injected into the deeper layers of the skin where the PLLA particles stimulate your body’s own collagen production.
Over the following weeks and months, new collagen gradually develops around the treatment area, strengthening the skin’s underlying structure and creating a subtle increase in firmness and fullness.
This is why I love Sculptra. Rather than suddenly changing the shape of your face or making you look like you have had “work done”, the improvement develops slowly. You simply begin to look fresher, firmer and more rejuvenated.
WHY IS SCULPTRA SO GOOD?
Sculptra is a lovely option for clients who want noticeable rejuvenation but still want to look completely like themselves.
It can help to:
• Stimulate your own natural collagen production
• Restore facial structure and support
• Improve skin firmness
• Improve areas of facial volume loss
• Soften lines, wrinkles and folds
• Improve the appearance of loose or sagging skin
• Improve overall skin quality
• Create gradual and natural-looking rejuvenation
One of the biggest advantages is longevity. Once your new collagen has developed, the results can last for more than two years in some clients.
Because Sculptra stimulates your own collagen rather than simply adding temporary volume, I think of it as investing in the structure of your skin for the future.
WHO IS SCULPTRA SUITABLE FOR?
Sculptra can be particularly beneficial if you have started noticing that your face looks slightly flatter, less firm or more tired than it used to.
You may notice loss of volume through the cheeks or temples, deeper folds around the mouth, changes to the lower face or a general reduction in skin firmness.
It is also a great treatment if you want to improve the signs of ageing without dramatically changing your facial features.
Sculptra is not about creating exaggerated cheeks or altering the shape of your face. The aim is to restore support and encourage your skin to behave more like younger skin again.
Not everybody is suitable for Sculptra, so a full consultation will always be carried out before treatment. Your medical history, skin, facial structure and expectations will all be assessed before deciding whether Sculptra is the right treatment for you.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING TREATMENT?
Sculptra is injected into carefully selected areas of the face using a series of injections.
Your treatment will be individually planned depending on your facial structure, the amount of volume loss present and the result you would like to achieve.
You may initially look fuller immediately after treatment. It is important to know that this is mainly due to the water used when preparing Sculptra and some post-treatment swelling.This initial fullness settles.
Then comes the clever bit.
Over the following weeks, Sculptra begins stimulating your own collagen production. Your results therefore appear gradually rather than overnight.
Most people begin noticing improvements in firmness, skin quality and facial fullness over the following weeks and months.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?
Sculptra is designed to be performed as a course rather than as a single treatment.
On average, around three treatment sessions are recommended, spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
However, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. The number of sessions and vials required will depend on your age, degree of volume loss, skin condition, facial structure and the result you would like to achieve.
Some clients may require less and others may benefit from more.
I will create an individual treatment plan for you following your consultation.
WHAT IS THE DOWNTIME?
Downtime is generally minimal.
Immediately after treatment you may experience:
• Redness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Mild bruising
• Small amounts of swelling around the injection sites
These effects are usually temporary.
Because swelling can create some immediate fullness, you may actually love how everything looks straight away. Don’t get too attached to it though! This initial fullness will reduce before your new collagen gradually starts doing the work.
Full aftercare instructions will be provided following your treatment.
WHEN WILL I SEE MY RESULTS?
Sculptra requires a little patience, but that is also part of what makes the results look so natural.
This isn’t an instant filler treatment.
Collagen production takes time, so improvements gradually become more noticeable over the weeks and months following your treatments.
You may notice your skin becoming firmer and your face looking subtly fuller and fresher. Because the change happens slowly, friends and family may notice that you look really well without necessarily being able to tell what you have had done.
HOW LONG DOES SCULPTRA LAST?
Results can last for more than two years, although everybody will respond differently. Your age, lifestyle, skin condition, metabolism and individual response to treatment can all influence the longevity of your results.
Your skin will also continue to age naturally, so maintenance treatments can be used to help preserve your results, usually one treatment a year.
MAINTENANCE
Once you have completed your initial course and achieved the result we are looking for, you do not need to repeat the entire course every few months.
Your results can be reviewed over time and a maintenance treatment can be recommended when needed.
For many clients this may mean an occasional top-up treatment to continue supporting collagen production and maintain their results.
I will advise you on the best maintenance plan for your individual skin.
TREATMENT SUMMARY
No. of treatments:
Usually a course of approximately 3 treatment sessions over a few months. This will vary depending on your individual needs.
Procedure time:
Approximately 45 minutes.
Discomfort level:
Mild to moderate. This varies between individuals.
Recovery time:
Minimal. Some swelling, redness, tenderness and bruising can occur following treatment.
Results:
Results develop gradually as your own collagen production increases over the following weeks and months.
Duration of results:
Results can last for more than 2 years, although this varies between individuals.
Maintenance:
Maintenance treatments can be carried out as required following completion of your initial course.
PRICE
Sculptra®
£425 per vial / treatment
The number of vials and treatments required will be discussed during your consultation and will depend on the level of correction required and your individual treatment goals.
Please remember that we are all individuals and results from aesthetic treatments will vary from person to person. Results, downtime and recovery following treatment can also vary. A full consultation will be carried out before treatment to make sure Sculptra is appropriate for you.
